For Closure
by 2101817
Summary: Yang attempts to work around her disability as she readies herself to find out why her cherished friend Blake left her after the Battle of Beacon. The only way to do that was to try and track her down.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The air in the room was hot and stuffy, which one might expect after spending so much time in it. The three sunflowers on her left besides her bed were withered, some of the once golden petals having fallen now onto the bedside table, dried and lifeless. The window to her right was difficult to see through, snow brimmed the outer side of it and there was condensation on the glass. She almost wanted to reach out and draw something on it but quickly regretted even thinking of the notion as she looked to her bandaged stump arm. With tired eyes she elected to simply continue staring out the window. She had seen Ruby leave some time ago, she didn't know where she was going and frankly she didn't care. She knew it was wrong not to, her sister could end up in real danger. But even if she did chase after her, what could she do? She couldn't defend her if she were attacked, not with how she was now. She'd be useless.

She was a thrill-seeker, always had been, and the best thrills came from the dangerous situations she'd find herself in. The buzz of a fight, the rush of adrenaline. But that had been taken from her when she lost her arm. There seemed to be nothing left for her now. Only time to let her thoughts wander in her isolation. Though her mind kept going back to two things in particular. The first being her biological mother Raven and her search for her. The other was Blake, though every time she came up in her thoughts she'd furrow her brow and quickly try to forget about it. But it always came back. In truth she wanted to know why she did it, why she ran. But with how she was now, it's unlikely she'd ever get the chance to go and find her. It seemed to her that she was destined to forever chase shadows, be it of mothers or of friends.

She shifted in her bed to a more comfortable position, turning her back to the window as she looked directly at what else was on the bedside table asides from the sunflowers. Her left gauntlet. Ember. The other, Celica, was never recovered from when she lost it at Beacon. And there again, the thought of Blake came back to her. She knew that Blake had rescued her from the White Fang member in the burning cafeteria and she probably didn't have time to pry Celica from her severed hand, nor did she probably want to. She couldn't blame her for that, though part of her wanted to just so that she could spite her. Her brow furrowed again before she knocked Ember from the table with a swipe of her left hand, the gauntlet made a loud clang against the floor. She shut her eyes tight as she tried to expel the thoughts of Blake from her mind once again.

That was when hurried footsteps came down the hall outside her room. In response Yang opened her lilac eyes to squint at the door as it opened. With quite a rush her father, Taiyang, came stumbling in with his eyes instantly darting to Yang, he looked startled. After a brief pause and a glance at Ember upon the floor he gave out a relieved sigh and took on a more relaxed posture, rubbing his blue eyes with finger and thumb. "I thought you fell out of bed or something" he said with an eased tone. He looked back up to her, offering a languid smile. Yang did nothing but stare back at him with a bleak expression. Taiyang's own smile wavered as a result before his eyes caught the sunflowers with a surprised and urgent look. He raised a finger to Yang, "Wait just a second" he said before briskly walking to the sunflowers, pulling them from the vase and leaving the room with the door open. After he turned the corner out of sight his footsteps got a lot quicker.

Yang gave out a sigh as she rolled onto her back, her messy blonde hair in her face and her eyes yet she did nothing to remedy it. Her father's footsteps quickly came rushing back and into the room, three fresh sunflowers in hand as he made his way back to the vase and placed them within it. He also picked up Ember from the floor, placing it back on the bedside table but this time out of Yang's sight and behind the vase. He seemed to adjust everything with precision, ensuring the room was as good as it could be for his daughter. After brushing away the fallen petals of the last sunflowers he looked to Yang who turned her head back to the window as he did. He frowned before sitting down at the side of her bed. He reached out his hand towards her shoulder but before he could touch her she shrugged him away as if knowing his intent.

Taiyang sighed to himself softly, he didn't want to force Yang to speak to him, he just wanted her to be comfortable and at ease. And right now it seemed like she wanted to be alone, and so he would offer that to her. With another short sigh he stood up from the bed and walked towards the door in a rather downcast manner. As he reached the door-frame Yang called out in a weak tone, "Dad" she said. Immediately Taiyang turned to face her, she was still looking out the window. "Thanks..." was the second word to come from her lips.

Taiyang paused and smiled, his spirits having been lifted by the simple gratitude of his daughter. "Any time buttercup" he responded with a positive tone. He took one last look at his daughter before gently closing the door behind him as he left. She could hear his footsteps moving back down the hall.

Yang looked to the fresh sunflowers now at her bedside table, they were so very vibrant and full of life. She should be blessed to have Taiyang as a father, he was always coming in to check on her, make sure she wasn't too lonely or needing anything. He always cleaned her room and managed to replace the sunflowers rather consistently (From where she had no idea, it was winter). And here she was, being gloomy and despondent in return. Yes, he definitely deserved better. Better than both of them in fact. After Ruby had left he had ran outside to catch her, the only reason he stopped was because he couldn't leave his other daughter behind. If she was fine then no doubt he would've kept running until he caught her sister and brought her back home. Another thing she could now blame herself for it seemed.

* * *

An hour or so had passed, though Yang would never have been able to tell. Time just seemed to blend into itself for her now as she lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Her mind began to wander once again, she was thinking about Beacon, what it looked like now, if Atlas was going to clear the Grimm out. If she'd ever get to go back and finish her training as a Huntress. If Team RWBY was even a thing any more. If Blake... She furrowed her brow again and shut her eyes. Why did Blake keep coming back to her? She told herself she doesn't care about her or wherever she is or what she's doing. Or if she's coming to Patch right now to see her. No, of course she wouldn't. She ran away, and that's all she'll ever do. Run away. She said it herself, she's a coward. Yang grit her teeth and slammed her fist against the bedside table, the vase rocking dangerously as she did so.

Just then the door opened. Yang half expected to see her father again, come to check if she'd fallen out of bed or such. But her lilac gaze did not meet Taiyang's blue eyes. They were crimson eyes, the eyes of her biological mother. "Hey Firecracker" came Qrow's voice as he idly strolled into her room as casually as he ever did. Yang never offered a reply and turned back to face the window once again. "What? You the brooding type all of a sudden?" mocked Qrow as he walked over to the bedside table, using his index finger to prod at one of the sunflowers in a blithe manner while he examined it.

Yang glanced back but didn't turn to face Qrow, she spoke in a mild uncaring tone, "I'm not in the mood".

Qrow turned his attention to Ember upon the table, picking it up and turning it around, once more examining it as he replied, "Why? What's got you so down?" he asked.

Yang finally turned around to face her uncle, she looked confused. How could he not know the reason she was so upset? "Are you joking?" she asked, her voice raising somewhat.

Qrow smirked before placing the weaponized gauntlet back onto the table, he turned to face his niece and crossed his arms with a smug expression. "No, really, what's wrong?" he asked again. Yang glared at him with gritted teeth, she offered no reply to his question. After a few seconds of silence Qrow brought his arms out wide, "Okay, look kid" he said before lowering his arms and sitting down at the side of her bed. "You lost your arm, plain as day to see, and that kinda sucks. But what I don't get is how someone as headstrong and stubborn as you is willing to let that stop her" he spoke, his tone growing more serious but remaining at the same volume.

Yang responded, her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you don't get it? I lost my arm! What good am I with just one!? I can't do anything right any more!" she said in a raised and annoyed tone, clenching her fist.

Qrow continued to smirk and shook his head, looking back to the door. "You think Raven would give up if she lost an arm? Hell no, she'd keep fighting because she's so hell-bent on her mission. But you? With how much you say finding her is important to you? She'd be ashamed, kid" he replied. In response Yang tried to push him off the side of her bed, but before she could even reach him he had stood back up to his feet.

"Shut up! You don't know what it's like!" yelled Yang, her uncle certainly knew how to set her off.

He pointed a finger at her, "You think?" he said, pulling out his canteen and unscrewing the cap before taking a gulp from it. He wiped his mouth afterwards before his voice returned. "It ain't personal experience but I know someone who lost a lot more, and you know what he's doing right now?" he continued before screwing the cap back onto his canteen and pocketing it. "Fielding an army. He's still an ass though." He chuckled softly to himself for a moment. "You know I'm starting to think you've been waiting for an excuse like this, an excuse to give up" he spoke, crossing his arms as he started walking back towards the door. Yang was furious by now, but she couldn't deny that there were likely people who'd lost more than her and kept on going, what did that make her?

Qrow stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame as he looked to Yang. "Listen, I ain't telling you to get on your feet and run outside right now, but maybe it's high time you started thinking about how you're going to do it. It's either that or you spend everyday in that bed of yours, throwing away what you worked so damn hard to build. And there's nothing I hate more than wasted potential" With that he winked at Yang before throwing something yellow towards her bed. With a light thud landed Celica, her right and previously missing gauntlet. "Found it when I was at Beacon looking for Ozpin, but now I gotta get out of here. Need to make sure that sister of yours doesn't get herself into any trouble. See you around, Firecracker" with that he left, leaving the door wide open. Yang stared frustratingly at Celica upon her bed as his footsteps grew more distant down the hall. She thought for certain she'd never see it again, but what could Qrow have meant by giving it back to her? It's not like she could use it.

After a few minutes her mind did what it usually did and started to wonder once more. She thought about her search for Raven and how it'd taken her all over Vale. She had made a lot of connections through that search, and some enemies too. But her drive had been unstoppable, but not to the point it controlled her. She had taught someone that very lesson. And there again Blake came into her thoughts. She remembered how Blake had told her all she could do was run away. Back then Yang was sure she had somehow talked her into a sort of change, to have her stay and face her problems, and it seemed to work. In fact the only time it failed was when Yang herself was so seriously wounded. Did Blake blame herself for it? For costing Yang her arm? Maybe the reason she ran away was because she simply couldn't face her for what she had done. The more Yang thought about it the more she wanted to know the answers.

Maybe Qrow was right, maybe it was time she started thinking on a way to get out of here, to improve herself and deal with her condition. To find a way around it. If she didn't do that, then what else was she going to do? Wait until her father died of old age looking after her? She could feel an urge she hadn't felt in some time rising up inside her, one she thought she had lost with her arm. She looked once more to Celica, grabbing it with her left hand. She began to examine it thoroughly, maybe there was really something she could do about all this. She was always there for Blake, and if she really did leave because she couldn't face Yang, then she should find her and help her through it like any friend would. And if she left for any other reason... well, she'd cross that bridge when she got to it. Besides, as much as she hated to admit it right now, she missed her.

* * *

It had been a while since Ruby and Qrow had left the house now. It was early morning and Yang was already dressed, putting her grey jacket on over her orange tank top. She looked back outside towards the window, the snow had long since gone and spring had moved in. She had been managing to keep herself fit and healthy through a mixture of training and simple runs outside. At first her father was hesitant to even let her go out by herself, but eventually it had become routine. And as had become usual for her she was prepared to head back out for her morning run today. Taiyang couldn't be happier that Yang seemed to have recovered from her loss, but she knew herself she hadn't entirely. Since she set herself this goal thoughts of Blake had dominated her mind, more so than Raven. She had repeatedly imagined the many ways their reunion could go. From open conflict to an embracing hug. She didn't try to push her out of her thoughts half as much now too, but that didn't change the fact she wanted her answers.

She left a folded note on her bed before leaving her room through the door. Walking down the hallway and into the living room she could see her father sitting on the sofa, reading the news with a mug of coffee on the floor besides him. He turned to her as he heard her approaching and smiled, "Hey buttercup, heading out again?" he asked in a friendly tone.

Yang smiled at her father and nodded, "Yup, I'll catch you later, wouldn't want to keep you from the news" she said with a wave of her hand, heading for the front door.

"Alright, stay safe!" responded Taiyang with a wave of his own, sitting up straight to do so but in the process knocking over his cup of coffee with his feet. He cursed to himself as Yang left through the door.

The air outside still had a chill to it, but it wasn't anything to be bothered by. Yang preferred the crisp morning air, it kept her cooler during her exercise. She began to jog down the dirt path, but a frown was on her face. She didn't want to leave her father by himself so suddenly and with nothing but a note as Ruby did, but he'd never let her leave in the condition she was in, so deceit became her only option. She was making her way east, not on her usual route. She was heading for the skyport that would take her over the water and to the city of Vale where her search for Blake could truly begin. There was no doubt in her mind that she was ready for the truth.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The wind that blew from the sea was cold and harsh, her blonde hair billowing against the breeze as she made her way to the station at the skyport, one of the airbuses was already coming down through the sky to pick up new passengers. She glanced around and took notice that it was fairly empty. It seemed like few people were wanting to go to Vale right now, likely they didn't want to be in the shadow of beacon which had become a hive of Grimm. She looked to a small booth outside the station, the ticket booth. Making her way towards it the man within glanced up at her, he knew Yang personally since she often went back and forth from Patch to Vale before her incident so it was no problem buying passage to the city from him. With ticket in hand she entered the station, there were maybe three people waiting to board the next flight and a few security guards at their posts.

The airbus docked at the platform and as the doors opened many people came walking out. Looked like a lot were leaving Vale for Patch, the protection of the sea between the two likely being an alluring barrier for those in worry of the Grimm. After all the passengers had departed the airbus, Yang and the three others began to board it. The three went first, but as Yang was going to step on the attendant at the door stopped her and gave her a narrowed glare. "You're that girl that broke that poor boys leg during the tournament, aren't you?" he asked in an almost disgusted fashion, Yang glanced away from him with almost a shamed expression and it was then he noticed her arm, or how one sleeve of her jacket was tied short. He paused for a moment as he looked to it before grudgingly stepping aside, "Looks like you got your due either way... Get on" he said in no polite manner. Yang never looked to him as she boarded the airbus. In fact she was now reminded that it was probably going to be common knowledge of who she was to the citizens of Vale, and what she was known for in the tournament.

Aboard the airbus she found herself a seat, it was one that was preferably away from the other passengers. The minutes began to tick by as they waited for more potential passengers, in the end only one additional person showed up. With that the doors on the vehicle gently shut and the engines began to hum to life again. She could feel the craft lifting back into the air as it moved out of the airport. With an accelerating speed it started making its way from Patch to Vale over the ocean. She could already see the city in the distance and from here it didn't look any different than it usually did. Beacon however was another story, the tip of the tower was simply destroyed and the frozen behemoth of a Grimm was still clinging to it. The very knowledge it was still there must terrify the locals, or perhaps they were simply hoping it would never wake up again. The fact it was still attracting Grimm was a real issue though. Through the news she had learnt that Atlas was still present and holding the borders down from any that might try and get into the city itself, for which she was thankful to hear they hadn't just up and left Vale to its own defences.

* * *

The airbus lowered further towards the water as it reached its destination airport on the docks of Vale. The first thing Yang noted as she looked out of the window towards their general direction was that there seemed to be a queue outside of the airport, it wasn't huge but it was certainly enough to be of concern. Just how many people were even left in the city by this point? She began to wonder if Blake did in fact take a flight out of Vale and to Patch, but simply didn't try to find her once reaching the island. Or she did, but failed. She shook her head to herself and her blonde hair swayed against the motion. If her search in Vale turned up empty handed with no leads then she would go back to Patch and start there. But while she was here she was going to do what she could to find her once partner. The announcer within the airbus sounded in a woman's voice, it clearly wasn't the voice of a human though. "Now approaching: West Vale, dock five. Please prepare to board and exit in an orderly fashion", a jingle sounded at the end of the announcement.

The sound of people talking in mass was muffled but heard outside of the vehicle as it docked into the airport. Yang and the other passengers stood to their feet as they began to depart the craft. After stepping off the airbus and onto solid ground again she started heading for the exit immediately, glancing back briefly to see the crowd piling into the airbus and the attendants doing their best to keep them organized. Looking forward again she reached the exit of the airport building and as she opened the door the sound of the city rushed to her ears. People talking and walking, the engine of cars and the sound of their horns, the wind blowing between the tall buildings. She could already smell smoke and food from one of the many nearby restaurants. Yang liked the atmosphere of a city, it was always so busy and active. But there was something a little off about Vale today, when she paid attention many of the people she saw looked worried, or were briskly walking in one direction. A lot more people were also carrying around suitcases and luggage, or getting into taxis. It was almost like an evacuation was still happening, only it was the choice of the people and not the demand of the military this time around.

After having taken it all in Yang breathed in a sharp breath before her legs started moving, she marched in a direction she knew very well and it was no doubt going to be her first stop. As she was about to cross her first road she came to a sudden stop. The realization hit her that she might be in Vale a while and had given no thought to accommodation. That's right, she needed to find a place to stay first, a base of operations almost. She couldn't let the search control her and force her into every other direction she wanted to go in just because she was eager. She had to take her time if she was going to do this right, if she was going to find Blake. Otherwise she'd be tired and sleeping on the streets before she knew it. She frowned to herself as she had to heed her own advice and took a turn away from the previous direction she was heading in. She knew a few places she could stay and she did have some money on her. She had no desire for anything expensive though, a simple low-cost hotel or a flat for rent would do her well enough.

She continued on down the streets and it came quickly to her that she was an object of curiosity and even sometimes ridicule. Not only did some of these people remember her in the tournament, but those who didn't simply gave a glance to her missing arm instead of her face which was something she was quickly growing to hate. She hadn't had to experience interaction with many strangers since she'd lost her arm so it was a new experience to her, even if a negative one. But with everything else she would find a way around it, or simply learn to ignore it altogether. She made sure to stay well away from those that seemed to recognize her however. With Grimm being attracted to negative emotions she was no doubt among the many theories of what brought them here. Indeed it could be that some would blame her for the attack in its entirety, for making so many people feel those negative emotions when she had snapped the leg of her opponent in brutal fashion.

* * *

Yang opened the door to a small cramped room. There was a bed big enough for one person with clean sheets and comfy looking pillows, the window was small with some fabric draped over half of it at an angle, a TV atop a table at the opposite end of the bed and a door that no doubt led to the bathroom. It was cheap, but it'd do the job for a place to crash. She climbed over the bed and towards the window (there wasn't really enough room to walk around the bed). She tugged the curtain up slightly to look outside, the view of her window showed her only an alleyway framed by two taller buildings that led to a busier road. Not the best view, but she didn't mind the quiet of it. Letting the curtain fall back down she took a step back to sit on her bed. She looked up to the window thinking about her first destination. She'd known where she was going to go the moment she left her house, but she'd need to be careful on how she approached it. One sign of weakness and it was likely she'd get into a fight. She needed to maintain confidence, to act as she always had been and as if nothing was wrong. Only then might she have a chance of learning what she needs to know.

A part of her knew there would be more to the search though, it'd be too easy if her first destination was somehow the last. No, she was sure she was going to need to visit many places depending on the leads she'd receive. Now that she thought about it, it seemed quite the large task. Had she perhaps bitten off more than she could chew? Despite that she was at least going to have to try. And maybe it was better for her to ignore how long it might take before getting some ways through it first. Who knows, maybe luck would indeed shine on her and her first destination would have her eye to eye with Blake. Maybe it would be smarter to think about what the first thing she should say ought to be. Sorry maybe? But sorry for what? Yang hadn't done anything to apologise for. Maybe she should tell Blake she forgives her for running away? No, she was getting ahead of herself. She still didn't know her motivations for doing so, and until then she couldn't be sure on what she'd say to her.

She looked over to the TV and leaned towards it in order to turn it on and grab the remote. Flicking through a few channels it didn't take long to find out that the quality was terrible. The screen was always flickering and there was an underlying sound of static that just annoyed her to no end. After flicking through a few more channels she sighed to herself and turned the TV back off. She lay back onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling for a few more minutes, simply relaxing. But did she have time for that? She'd had plenty of rest on the journey here, there was no time to hesitate. Though the thought struck her that perhaps she was hesitating on purpose. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous about the whole thing, who wouldn't be? With a groan she pushed herself back up off the bed and shuffled over to the side nearer the door. After getting to her feet she stretched her back before opening and locking the door behind her. A base of operations had been established, it was time to get to work.

* * *

Yang had spent a while familiarizing herself with the city of Vale once more, partly because some street knowledge would be handy and also because her first destination required the clock to be set to a certain time. The sun had set an hour or so ago and night was rolling in. Unlike the usual night-life of Vale however, the streets were almost empty. Occasionally Yang would spot a small patrol of Atlas soldiers, at first she ignored them but soon began to notice that almost systematically they would raise a finger to their ear and turn their face away every time they spotted her. It put her on edge, maybe they were just saying something as casual as "One person on this street with this description" in case anything bad went down. There were so few people on the streets that it would be easy to link a crime to someone like that, being one of the few within the vicinity of whatever crime had occurred.

Still, even with how strange they were acting she felt safer knowing they were patrolling the streets at night. She wandered just how many Grimm had managed to sneak into Vale since the attack, and if it was a serious concern. With the way Atlas was parading its ships in the sky around, you'd think it was a common occurrence and big enough to warrant air support. Her eyes looked forward to the street she was walking down, as with the others it was almost empty save for maybe one other person walking along the other side of the pavement. There weren't even any cars driving down the roads. In a way it was peaceful, but then she'd look up to Beacon and the reminder of why it was as such came to her. She looked forward once more and saw the road split, she knew where she was going and turned right. At the end of the street she could see a familiar building, she could even hear the music already.

At the entrance two of Junior's lackeys were guarding, one of them looked up to her side of the street as she was approaching and immediately ran back inside. Not a few minutes later did he come back out and stood as he had before he had seen her. Yang smirked to herself, she had remembered the last time she paid a visit to Junior and the way his men reacted to her like she was some kind of unstoppable force to be reckoned with. And well, they weren't wrong. This time however it seemed they were aiming to take a different approach, they had yet to barricade the front door after all.

Finally she came to stand on the red carpet that led into the entrance of the club, she stopped in front of both guards and they stood polite before bowing low and gesturing at the entrance with their arms. "Miss Xiao Long, so glad to see you tonight" one of the guards spoke, keeping his gaze lowered. Yang raised a brow at the guard before her head spun to the other that also spoke. "Please Miss Xiao Long, go right in" he said, like the other, avoiding her eyes.

It seemed Junior had wizened up and realised that attempting to stop Yang with force simply wasn't going to work. She smiled at this before responding, "Thanks boys, I'll make sure to tell Junior how nice you both were" she spoke with a wink. She almost felt like her old self as she made for the door, one of the guards quickly ran to open it for her but it seemed to be more out of polite gesture than anything, he didn't notice her arm after all from avoiding looking at her so much.

The sound of music grew louder and louder as she stepped into the light-filled room. The theme tonight seemed to be white, yellow and orange, how very convenient she had thought to herself. Though the music sounded a lot more different and to her tastes than she had heard from outside. She looked down to the dance floor and her expression changed to that of confusion. It was just filled with more of Junior's henchmen and when she focused she noticed they were all terrible at dancing, in fact it looked like they were just acting it all out, pretending to be having a good time. A spotlight clicked on and shined at Yang, causing her to recoil from the light briefly. It was then she heard the cringe-worthy cheers of the henchman on the dance floor as they all looked to her. "It's Miss Xiao Long!" One screamed, "She's so beautiful!" another cried out, "Marry me!" someone yelled as they dropped to their knees in the middle of the floor with their hands clutching at their heart.

At this point Yang was more than sure it was an act. She awkwardly waved her one hand at the crowd with a crooked smile, to which they only cheered more. She could already see Junior with his back turned at the bar, another stool just so happened to have been placed near him on his right. With a short sigh she started making her way down the set of steps, walking past the dance floor on her left as all the lackeys kept their focus on her, she looked to one of them and he raised a hand to his head and fell backwards with a breathy sigh, two of his buddies caught him and started dragging him back through the crowd. She wanted to laugh but she had to play along and assume everything was as is, she didn't want to give away that she knew it was an act. Junior might actually think they were fooling her.

She arrived at the bar and called out from behind Junior, "This seat taken?" she asked with a smirk and was glad that she would be sitting with her left side facing him. The longer she could avoid him knowing she had one arm the better.

Junior barely looked back and nudged his head at the chair, "Yeah, by you Blondie" he answered in a rather smooth voice as he slid a glass in front of the chair on the bar. A glass of Strawberry Sunrise, it even had a little umbrella in it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

With a sigh of relief Yang put the empty glass back down onto the bar table, leaving only the small fancy pink umbrella left inside. She looked at it with her lilac eyes curiously, for a little prop it definitely had detail. The edges were translucent and riddled with thin brown markings. She smirked to herself and looked over to Junior who was just finishing his own drink. He glanced at her through the corner of his eye with a pause before placing his glass back down onto the bar. "So what can I help you with?" he asked in a casual tone. He didn't at all seem to mind her presence, a far better act than that of his men on the dance floor.

Yang reached into a pocket on her jacket, pulling out her scroll. She placed it on the bar and made a few swipes along its surface before sliding it towards Junior. It was a picture of Blake, one she had kept. It featured her with a soft smile, leaning against a wall besides a window. Yang remembered when she had took the picture, it was back in Beacon within their dorm. She looked calm in the picture, much like she always did. "Thought you might know something" said Yang as Junior leaned in to look at the Faunus, examining the picture.

After a few seconds of contemplation he pushed the scroll back towards her, "What happened to the last person you were looking for?" he asked, gesturing for the bartender that was behind the bar somewhere on Yang's right who kept her focus on Junior as they spoke.

"Well, she's not off the search list so anything new you have on her would be cool too. But I wanna know where the Faunus girl is more right now, so got anything or not?" Yang asked, her voice getting a little more serious as the dark brown glove of the bartender handed Junior his second drink. The sleeve of the bartender was pink and white, a very nice combination now that she thought about it before looking back to the man next to her.

Junior brought his beverage to his lips and started consuming it, all of it. He tilted his head back as Yang watched on in silence, waiting for an answer. It almost seemed like he was intentionally dragging it out. After a second or so more he placed the empty glass back down. The bartender took the empty glass back as he turned to face Yang. "Ain't seen her, or the other one. Nothing new, sorry Blondie" he said before looking back over the bar again nonchalantly

"I don't believe you" snapped Yang, narrowing her lilac gaze at Junior who looked back at her with a tired expression, as if he'd seen it all before. "You know something, I know you do. So start spilling the beans before I start breaking bones again" she threatened, offering a smirk afterwards. She picked her scroll back up and placed it into her pocket.

Junior almost seemed to smile at himself as he looked down at Yang. "Or cut them off instead?" he chuckled, shaking his head. Yang was shocked to find out he knew her arm was missing without barely even looking at her during their conversation. It then ticked over in her head that he was probably still aligned with the White Fang through his contacts and had probably heard about her encounter with the bull Faunus at Beacon. But this only confirmed one thing to her.

"So you do know where she is" growled Yang, standing up to her feet with her fist clenched against the bar.

"Calm down Blondie" spoke Junior, raising a hand at her in an almost pleading manner. "Look, I might know something and I see this is a bit of a sore spot for you, so how about I help you out free of charge just this once?" he asked. "Hey, I'll even throw in some ice cream, how does that sound?" he continued as he gestured for the bartender once more.

Yang started to calm down as she glared at the man, steadily sitting back on her seat but not taking her eyes off of him. "What flavour?" she asked cautiously.

Junior gestured back towards the bar, "See for yourself" he answered casually. As Yang turned towards the bar she was greeted with a woman's face, right in front of hers. That lopsided smile. Those mismatched eyes. In shock Yang fell backwards from her chair with a yelp, falling onto her back with a thud. How could she have been so foolish? She knew she'd seen that umbrella in her glass somewhere before. She had been right in front of her this whole time! She watched as Neopolitan stood up onto the bar, glaring down at her with that smirk of hers. This woman had bested Yang before, and that was when she had both arms. Neo pulled out her umbrella from behind her, idly knocking Yang's glass to the floor to dispose of the miniature copy of her weapon. She leaned the umbrella against her shoulder as Junior stood up to his feet, getting some distance from the two. "I hear you two already know each other, don't let me spoil the reunion" he spoke, moving behind the bar.

Yang crawled back at the sight of Neo staring down at her. The flashing lights of the club came to an abrupt halt, as did the music. All of the lights turned to face Yang before each emitted a bright spotlight. She was the centre of attention, everyone knew where she was and behind her the henchman on the dance floor had brandished their weapons. She attempted to stand herself up to her feet but as she knelt Neo had already hopped down from the bar and sent a sharp forward kick right to her face. The force sent Yang sliding back towards the dance floor. The henchmen moved aside as she came at them, effectively surrounding her when she came to a halt, rolling herself backwards and onto her feet. She opened her eyes as they glared red over at Neo behind the crowd, idly walking towards the dance floor with umbrella propped over her shoulder and a sway in her hips. The lackeys seemed to open up and provide her a direct route towards Yang.

The crowd moved back further, giving the two space. The spotlights lit up the entire man-made ring as a voice came through the speakers, it was Junior. "Tonight ladies and gentlemen we have a special event" he spoke before the lights went out, a singular one shining down on Neo as she held a hand against her hip and posed. "We have our very own lady of smoke and mirrors, the beautiful and deadly, Neopolitan!" continued Junior as the lackeys began to cheer and chant "Neo" over and over again. They grew silent as the announcements continued. The light on Neo vanished, only to be placed on Yang who shielded her eyes from it with her one arm. She was confused and didn't like the idea of being surrounded, she wasn't sure who was going to lunge at her first. "And her opponent tonight is the one armed wonder, the burnt-out blondie, Yang Xiao Long!", the crowd started booing at Yang, some even threw trash at her, plastic cups and paper balls.

"Get out of my way!" yelled Yang, knocking a cup from the air as she prepared to move against Neo who still stood as idly as ever in front of her. The spotlights shined down on the entire ring again as the floor came alive with the colours of white and pink. A jazzy song had even kicked in as Yang lunged her fist towards the woman in front of her. With a loud bang the sleeve on her left wrist burst off into ash to reveal Ember beneath it. The fist collided with Neo's face, only to shatter into a thousand pieces as from behind it a heeled boot came thrusting forward into Yang's gut, and then again against her chest before switching legs and striking her in the side of the head. Yang recoiled from the multiple strikes and stumbled against the crowd that harshly pushed her back into the centre of the ring.

After her vision focused she could see Neo swinging her umbrella at her in its closed form. She leaned back just enough to avoid the swipe past her face before moving in to send her fist crashing against her. Neo twirled a step back before aiming her umbrella at the fist and opening it, causing Ember to rebound from it as if it were a metal shield and forcing Yang to stumble back again before the umbrella closed and lunged forward like a spear. She managed to avoid it narrowly as Neo passed just in front of her. She took this opportunity to try and close-line the shorter girl who just seemed to duck under her arm before sending a sharp kick against her left leg. The attack forced Yang to her knee before another kick snapped against her back and sent her against the ground.

Yang groaned as she felt Neo step onto her back with her heels as she gave her usual crooked smile to the crowd with a wave, triumphant atop her foe. Yang was being made a fool of. Her eyes blazed red and she reached back to try and grab Neo's ankle but the small woman was too agile and hopped off her back, briefly stepping on the back of her head and slamming her face against the ground before landing on the dance floor and turning to face her. Yang got to her feet and with a scream of rage she lunged her right foot backwards and into the chest of one the henchmen with a small jump. A loud bang and a flash of fire appeared as she burst forward towards Neo who gave an almost surprised expression before being shattered into a dozen pieces. Yang's hurling fist crashed into another lackey that was behind Neo and with a scream he was sent flying back into the crowd, clearing a path right through them from the force of the impact. Yang collided against the floor and rolled back onto her feet as she faced Neo who had re-appeared behind her.

Celica. The once gauntlet had been refashioned and fitted onto her right ankle, it was wider now and almost touched the floor. Her baggy pants had covered the weapon and she had considered it her ace but she wasn't as experienced with it yet, it had to do if she was going to beat Neo.

It was then that two women appeared from the crowd and stood beside Neo, two people Yang had fought before. One wore a red dress and held two claws, the other a white dress and with bladed boots. This quickly dawned on Yang as a lost match, but before she could turn to run the opening she had made had been filled with lackeys. There was no doubt in her mind that she was about to receive a deadly beat-down. But just then a loud bang sounded at the door leading outside, the music was killed and all the lights came on. Atlas soldiers rushed in, the sound of their boots almost rhythmic as they started aiming rifles down at the crowd. Yang had never been so relieved to see the military.

"Everyone, stand down!" yelled one of the soldiers as they began rushing down the steps, they seemed to be making a b-line towards the centre of the dance floor. As they pushed through the lackeys they all aimed their rifles at Yang, and only Yang ."Yang Xiao Long, you are under arrest" stated one of the officers as they moved behind her with cuffs.

"Wh- What!?" She yelled as her eyes turned back to a lilac shade. "I'm not the one you want, they're the bad guys!" she continued, pointing her finger at Neo and the twins. The officer behind her grabbed her arm and pulled it behind her back, but in silent confusion began pondering how to restrain a woman with one arm.

Another officer stood before Yang, "You have violated the peace of Vale, you will be detained and brought to the station. Any questions you have can wait until then" he said, seeming to ignore her protests completely. With a shove from behind Yang was forced to walk, the soldier behind her had the bright idea to cuff himself to the woman, and seemed pretty smug about his genius.

Yang glared over at Neo as she was escorted from the club. In response Neo shut one eye and made a kissing motion at her, as cocky as ever. This only made Yang glare more in anger, she couldn't understand why Atlas wasn't putting the boot to Junior and his gang.

Eventually she was pushed outside and the cold air hit her, she hadn't realised how much of a sweat she had worked up inside of the club. A military truck was already waiting for her outside, parked with its back door facing the club entrance. "Hey... That's a bit much ain't it?" asked Yang as she was pushed further towards the heavily armoured transport.

"It's for your own safety" mentioned the guard behind her as two more opened the doors to the vehicle. Inside were an additional three guards sitting down. With another shove Yang stepped up into the back of the truck, the guard cuffed to her following her in and slamming the doors behind them shut. After a short while she heard the engine start up with a rumble and felt the vehicle move. There was no doubt that Yang was terribly confused.

* * *

As the truck continued its journey Yang slumped back in her seat and began to reflect on the recent events that had occurred. She knew Junior would know something about Blake, he was an information broker and events related to the Battle of Beacon were no doubt a hot topic. He knew about her arm, which meant he knew the bull Faunus, which by extension led to the White Fang and possibly that would be his link to anything Blake-related. She wasn't expecting Neo to be there however. If any resistance were to appear it would be in the form of his lackeys and the twins, perhaps even himself though he rarely seemed to dirty his own hands. She knew he had dealings with Roman Torchwick in the past, which should have clued her in on Neo since those two seemed to be business partners if the train operation under Mountain Glenn was anything to go by. So in hindsight, she should have seen this as a possibility. But no, as usual she had to storm in unthinking like her usual self. She hated that part of herself sometimes.

She was so focused on getting answers, so intent on finding Blake that she had let her awareness be clouded. The search, for a brief moment, had controlled her like she told herself she wouldn't let it do. She couldn't even take her own advice. Perhaps she felt she had something to prove, like she had to regain her standing now that she only had one arm. But who was she trying to prove that to? Junior? She didn't care what he thought of her. She rested her head in her hand as her long flowing hair draped over her face, spending the rest of the truck journey in this almost crestfallen manner.

* * *

When the truck stopped she jolted up into a straight seating position, glancing around with tired eyes. A knocking sound came from where the driver's cabin would be within the truck and as a result the guard cuffed to her motioned for her to stand as another two opened the back doors. It was still dark outside as she was guided off the vehicle and escorted towards a tall building. Moving up the few stairs she entered it. Within was a reception area, it was empty save only a person behind the greeting desk who nodded towards the Atlas soldiers as they guided Yang further into the building.

Through a twist of stairs and corridors she was eventually led to a room that was nothing like a jail cell. Behind the door looked more like a hospital room than anything. With its white walls and bed, the window wasn't even barred but it was high enough up in the building that no one sane would simply throw themselves out of it. A click sounded as the guard behind her undid the cuffs. He almost looked sad now that he was free once more, he was the first to leave followed by a few of the other soldiers. One remained behind and spoke to her, "Stay here. Some one needs to see you. And for your concern, no, you're not actually under arrest. But we couldn't exactly walk you out of that club like you were free either" he said. To this Yang was relieved and she nodded to him in thanks, but before she could ask any questions he had turned on his heel and marched out the door, closing it behind himself.

Someone wanted to see her? And it seemed to be someone regarding Atlas. General Ironwood perhaps? To ask questions about her sister? There was much she didn't understand but she decided her search for Blake could continue in the morning, she was extremely tired by now after all. She moved over to the white bed and lay upon it, staring at the ceiling with tired lilac eyes. She was glad her aura took the brunt of all the kicks from Neo, she'd no doubt feel them in the morning if it hadn't. If anything however she was frustrated she hadn't learnt anything about Blake, save only that Junior knew something. And getting near him now was going to be more difficult since he knew she was back in town.

She rolled onto her side as her hair fell over her face once again, gently she shut her eyes as she lulled herself into a deep sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The morning sun shined through the window in rays, it seemed almost like the bed was placed in just the right spot for it to shine straight into her closed eyes, she groaned as a result of the uncomfortable light. Her hair had sprawled out into a mess in her bed as it normally did when she was sleeping. She loved her hair but she'd be lying if she said it wasn't annoying sometimes. Brushing some of it from her face she glanced to the door with her soft lilac eyes as she heard it open with a click. Not soon after the sound of heels came tapping in. Immediately Yang sat up against the wall, pulling the quilt up to shield herself. She had already swiftly equipped Ember which was resting near her pillow as she had slept. The sound of heels... after the club she could only assume Neo had come back to finish the job.

The sight of a white outfit almost caused her to lunge forward with a punch from her bed, but it quickly became evident that the woman was taller than Neo, and far more mature. With the glance at the woman's head she lowered her arm and rubbed her eyes before asking in a groggy tone, "W- Weiss..?" she said as she opened her eyes once more with a clearer vision.

The woman before her looked down at her with a cold blue gaze, the likeness was uncanny but she could tell it was not in fact Weiss. She seemed... sharper. The woman took a step towards Yang and crossed her arms, "Yang Xiao Long?" she asked in a stern tone, she seemed like the serious type. Perhaps overly so.

Yang gave a nod in response to her name being spoken, "Uh... Yeah" was all she responded to, lowering her quilt slightly as she relaxed, she had slept with her orange tank top on.

A black gloved right hand extended out towards Yang who looked to it awkwardly. After a second the woman shook her head to herself in silent apology before extending her left hand instead. "Winter Schnee, specialist from the Atlesian Special Operatives unit" she politely introduced herself.

Cautiously Yang reached her left hand to shake Winter's, Ember now clearly visible on her wrist. "Yang-" she paused, she had already forgotten Winter knew who she was. In an attempt to seem less awkward she immediately switched the topic, "So uh... you're a special... specialist then?" she asked, looking up at her.

Winter just seemed to stare back down at the woman before crossing her arms once more. "In a manner of speaking. I presume you have questions?" she asked. That was an understatement.

Yang nodded and shuffled towards the edge of her bed to sit comfortably upon it, the quilt now only over her legs. "Yeah, what am I doing here?" she asked, the obvious question first of course.

The other woman looked to the open door and with her right hand gently pushed it so that it would close. She idly brushed her fringe afterwards (despite her hair being perfect) and turned her gaze back to Yang. "I'll start off by informing you that you're not about to be recruited into some secret mission, or neither that General Ironwood is going to fund you a new arm or some such. Abandon those fantasies for the time being and focus on the reality" she spoke, as sternly as ever.

Yang began to wonder just how uptight Weiss' sister could be. "So... what reality is that?" she asked in response.

Winter continued on, gesturing towards Yang. "Team RWBY as you might be aware, is a mess right now" she lowered her hand, as if uncaring of any insult she may have just inflicted on Yang. "Even if in training Hunters and Huntress alike are in dire need regarding current events. If given the opportunity we have been directed to... re-assemble any local teams in an attempt at reducing Grimm activity within the city. You are the first member of Team RWBY we have been able to locate, and even then, you came to us" finished Winter, her cold gaze locked to Yang as she explained the situation.

Yang took in the information and nodded, "You've... heard nothing about Ruby? Or Weiss?" she asked, seeming rather concerned that nothing had been mentioned about her sister.

"My sister is with my father in Atlas, that complicates things dramatically. Your own sister..." Winter paused as she seemed to ponder the words to use. "We know she's alive" she answered. For a moment Yang thought she might've caught a glimpse of sympathy. Perhaps Winter being Weiss' big sister made her relate to Yang in some sense. "But I've been informed you are looking for neither of those" she added as her stare pierced her once again.

With an almost embarrassed expression Yang turned to face the window, running her hand through her thick locks of golden hair as she responded. "Vale was nearest so I..." she began, but Winter cut her off.

"That is why you were shooting up the club?" she asked with her taut expression.

Yang looked back to Winter with a glare, her lilac eyes fixated on her for a moment. "Yeah, about that. Why didn't your soldiers do anything? Are they always that useless?" she spoke with some amount of venom in her words.

Winter smirked at Yang's lack of understanding, it was a condescending look that annoyed her. "You paid attention in class didn't you Miss Xiao Long? What attracts Grimm?" she asked.

She could already tell it was a trap, but she answered anyway. "Negative emotions" she responded bluntly.

"And what would closing down one of the few places for entertainment left in Vale cause?" continued Winter, her eyes only narrowing more at Yang who once more looked away with a scoff. "I thought so" stated Winter. "Do not misunderstand, they're crooks. But for now they are a necessary evil until the Grimm within Beacon Academy have been dealt with. And if the reports are anything to go by, my "useless" soldiers saved you from an early and permanent retirement" her voice grew much colder towards the end of her sentence, a sign she was done with her snarky attitude for now.

Yang sat silently after being berated, almost in the fashion that a child would. She didn't like admitting she was wrong or looked at like some kind of idiot. Sure she wasn't the brightest, but she wasn't dense either. Or so she liked to think.

With a sigh Winter's voice grew softer, as if noticing she might have been a little too harsh with the girl. "So what have you found? Anything that can help us find your missing partners?" she asked, to which Yang looked back at her.

"Junior... Junior knows something but before I could get it out of him that..." Yang paused as she growled her next words, "Girl... showed up".

Winter nodded to her words, "We've been keeping an eye on Mr Hei Xiong, or... "Junior". Thankfully he isn't as bright as he likes to think he is. We've got a number of locations he frequents when negotiating with the less savoury crowds of Vale. But this muscle of his that you mentioned, is it the girl with the umbrella?" she asked.

"Yeah, that one. They called her Neopolitan" replied Yang, it was clear she didn't enjoy the topic of Neo, someone who had now humiliated her in battle twice. "She worked with Roman Torchwick and the White Fang or something" she added, once again recalling the time she and her team went to Mountain Glenn.

The Schnee woman acted as if the knowledge was already common to her. "Yes, we've known Mr Hei Xiong had ties with the White Fang and Torchwick for some time now. The only reason we didn't take him down before the Battle of Beacon was because of the fact our own undercover operatives were easily able to purchase information from him regarding some other notable figures within Vale. But we had no idea the scale of Torchwick's plans or who he answered to. If we had I'm sure we'd have moved sooner" spoke Winter, moving towards the door. She looked over her shoulder towards Yang as she placed a small note on a table besides the exit. "Use this to contact me via scroll, if you uncover any major leads towards Miss Belladonna I want to know. But do not cry wolf, we are not your armed backup. I've enough to worry about without sending men after every clue you find. For the most part you're on your own, but if we discover anything we'll let you know so long as you return the favour. Otherwise it's emergencies only" she finished, nodding once to Yang who had nothing more to say, she was just happy she had some allies now if she needed them. With that Winter left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Looking at the clock Yang saw that noon was fast approaching, it was probably time to put on some pants and get back to her search. After getting dressed she approached the note Winter had left on the table. It did indeed have her contact details on it but there was more on the back. They were addresses of the places Junior frequented. There were at least three that he seemed to have been spotted in more than anywhere else. A warehouse at the docks, an abandoned apartment complex on the edge of the industrial district and the final was simply the backyard of his own club. Winter was right, Junior was an idiot.

* * *

Stepping outside of the building and into the fresh air again made her yawn, she was still fixing up her hair as she walked to the edge of the pavement. The sky had turned cloudy, blocking out the sun. The streets also seemed incredibly more vacant than the day before. She reached into her pocket to pull out the note Winter had given her. She honestly had no idea which to check first, or even if Junior would be there or not. She wouldn't be able to tail him from the club to catch him alone either, seeing as she didn't have access to her bike. Not that it was a subtle machine to begin with. The other obstacle would be Neo. If she really was Junior's new bodyguard then she had to think of a way to separate them. Now that she thought about it Winter really didn't give her much help at all, though she did say she'd contact her if she learnt more. She had more chance of finding her friend now than she did when she arrived, progress is progress no matter how small.

Her first destination would be the docks. If she started there she could work her way east into the nearby industrial district to then check the abandoned complex, and then head north to the commercial district to check if Junior really did perform deals behind his own club. Her route was set and so she started walking. With the streets this empty and quiet it was easy to hear someone else walking from quite a distance so it was unlikely anyone could get the drop on her in broad daylight, not that she was expecting it, though the silence itself was disconcerting and eerie. She turned to cross the road, not having to look around for cars, she couldn't even hear any. Reaching the other side of the pavement she noticed two Atlas soldiers patrolling by. As usual they radioed in her sighting but as she passed them one of them offered a nod. It looks like they had already been informed about her deal with Winter, which could only be a good thing.

The state of Vale upset her, it had once been a vibrant and buzzing city, but it seemed more like a ghost town now. Park benches were empty, stores were closed, those that were open had only staff inside them. She would never have imagined it would turn out like this, especially after the surge of people that had come for the Vytal Festival. As she continued to walk she indulged in her thoughts. The person to come up in her mind for now was Winter. They barely had a proper introduction, it was all business. Though Yang could be sure that Winter was Weiss' sister. They were so similar in appearance and to an extent attitude. She had thought Weiss was bossy and stuck up, but her sister took it to a level that made Weiss' attempts at it seem like a child mimicking their idol. She worried for her team-mate though, she knew she was back in Atlas with her father but the way her sister worded it made it sound like it was something far more concerning than Yang first gave it credit for. Weiss' father was no doubt a powerful and influential man and those types always had standards. These standards were likely pushed onto Weiss and Winter, resulting in them being the way they are. During the last few days they were at Beacon though, Weiss had been opening up a lot more to the group. Even to Blake, someone she almost despised after finding out she was a Faunus and a once-member of the White Fang no less. She hoped the Ice Queen was doing well with whatever she was dealing with right now.

* * *

The area around the warehouse was a little more isolated from the rest of the docks. Rarely did this one seem to even receive shipments or be worked. It was a large building with concrete walls and a curved metal roof. There were a few old and cracked windows higher up against the walls and a large metal door at the front, with a smaller one besides it meant for personnel. She made her way to the door and peered in through the window on it. The inside of the warehouse was lit only by the light from the outside, and it still being cloudy made it very dim within the building. She could make out aisles of large wooden crates and containers within. She grabbed the rusted door knob and gave it a twist, but it seemed to be locked. Of course, why wouldn't it be? She let go of the door and took a step back before rushing her shoulder against it. A thud sounded against the metal, but she had only succeeded in slightly denting it. With a growl she glanced around the outside of the warehouse, it was relatively empty. She pulled back her left fist and thrust it forward into the door, activating Ember as she did so. With a blast the door was shunted back from its hinges, falling against the floor inside with a loud clang of metal along with a cloud of dust.

Yang stepped in over the door frame and made her way straight towards the centre of the building where a central path ran through, past all the aisles. She looked to her right and saw another large exit from the building. Looking to her left her eyes caught what seemed to be a table along with a large notice board in front of it. She began her way towards the two objects. The notice board was barren but had four pins stuck in it, each pin was holding down a scrap of paper too small to be of any use, as if whatever was here was ripped from it in haste. The table itself was also empty, nothing but a few scratches, dents and... a carved game of X's and O's. (O's had won). She ducked to look beneath the table, once more finding nothing. People had definitely been here, it had the makings of some sort of plotting bench, if such a thing existed.

She decided to search further though, she had to be sure there wasn't anything she was missing as she made her way over to one of the crates on the aisles. The box was large and she pulled it with a grunt, sliding it from its position which proved to be quite difficult with one arm. It left a silhouette against the dust on the shelf where it had been sat for so long. She gripped the top of the crate and attempted to lift, but she only succeeded in lifting the entire thing. After lowering the crate she planted her boot against the bottom of it, trying her best to keep it grounded. But the awkward position gave her no leverage to rip the top off. After releasing the crate again she simply smashed into it with her fist, cracking it open with a small boom as wood splintered across the warehouse floor. Inside fell out multiple white sheets. She pulled some of them from the crate and rummaged around inside, but that was all she found. With a sigh she turned to look at the rest of the building she was in, there was no indication of anything other than the bench and the noticeboard.

It seemed not every location was going to give her clues, which she honestly should have expected. She walked the warehouse floor through its various isles for a while, double-checking every corner just in case. But as she stepped out of the building she had come up empty-handed. The warehouse was a no-go. With that she decided her next stop would be the abandoned apartment complex in the industrial district. Her legs started moving as she made her way east and back to the streets of the city. She had to start thinking about what she was going to do if all the locations ended up with no clues. Would she have to go for Junior directly again? If she could find out where he lived it might make things a little easier. Surely Winter would know about that? She pondered calling her right now but had remembered what she said. Emergencies only. With a long drawn sigh she moved to pocket her scroll, but before she did she paused. She stopped moving entirely.

Slowly Yang brought the scroll back up to her face and with her thumb started scrolling through her contacts. She didn't believe she hadn't tried this before. That comment about her thinking she wasn't that dense? It was just destroyed. Eventually her scroll stopped on one of her contacts. Blake Belladonna.

She hadn't even tried calling her, could it really be that simple? She pushed call and watched the screen patiently.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The words "NO RESPONSE" glared at Yang from the screen of her scroll. She wasn't sure what she was expecting. If Blake had wanted to talk to her she'd have called. It was a fool's notion to believe it was going to be that easy. She closed and pocketed her scroll before looking forward. With an idle brush of her golden hair with her hand she set into motion once more.

Crossing another road she saw more Atlesian soldiers, and as per usual they saw her. Yang offered a friendly nod and she received one in return as she walked by the two. It was good to know she wasn't searching alone any more, no matter how little help Winter had told her she'd receive. The clouds in the sky hadn't yet cleared so it was still dim, this already proved a slight hindrance in the warehouse but she felt it was going to be even worse when she reached the abandoned apartment complex. Especially because as time went on it continued to grow darker, the sun wasn't leaving until at least another two hours or so which should give her just enough time to reach the building, search it and then leave. Though she was expecting at least five or seven floors within the complex.

* * *

Yang grumbled to herself, looking up at the building. It was at least eleven floors in total. Far more than she was hoping for. The clouds in the sky had both persisted and darkened as small droplets of rain had begun to fall. A light overcast was nothing that annoyed her but the simple thought of rain made her want to seek shelter, and where better than the place she was searching? She stood outside the doors. They were sealed shut and many of the windows on the building itself were boarded. Just how long had this apartment complex been abandoned for? She glanced around to find no one in sight. She was on the edge of the industrial district and by this time rarely anyone was still working. It was even more of a ghost town than it usually was.

Yang started walking towards the right side of the building, hoping to find another entrance. If Junior came here as much as Winter thought he did then he no doubt had a reliable and quick way of getting inside. She turned the corner of the complex and entered into a narrow alley. The rain was already less noticeable due to the shelter provided by both large buildings. The alleyway was as stereotypical as it could get, there was garbage strewn across the floor, gutters coming down from the buildings, trash cans and dumpsters along the walls. It didn't seem like anyone was here and so she started making her way through it, her lilac eyes scanned her left side at the walls of the complex for any way she could find in.

She soon came up to a rather odd stack of barrels. Looking around she saw no others within her vicinity and pondered what could be in them. She gave one of them a knock with her left fist to find the sound resounded within the empty barrel. Cautiously glancing around once again Yang looked back to the barrels before sending a kick towards them and knocking them all down. The noise was loud and if anyone had heard it she hoped they'd just pin it on the wind. Behind the barrels however she had found a short staircase leading down into what she could only assume was the basement of the building. Finally it seemed like she was getting somewhere.

The small red door at the bottom of the staircase was unlocked, and with a satisfying click she pushed it and left it to open itself. To say the inside was dark was an understatement, she couldn't see a thing. Once more pulling out her ever useful scroll she held it in front of herself as she turned on its light. The basement was mostly empty save for what you'd expect to find. A few empty boxes, a mop and bucket, a bicycle, broken bottles. She stepped inside and kicked the door behind her shut.

Making her way through the basement she could already see steps leading up into the building proper, though she had to pay attention to as much as she could. It was an investigation after all. The stairs up were wooden and creaked as she walked her way up them. At the top of the steps her shoes came upon old carpet, it did well to hide the sound of her footsteps. The room she was now in was a hallway, looking both ways she only saw intersections. Since she had no reason to pick one over the other she chose to move left at a guess. The light of her scroll caught the dust in the air which provided an eerie atmosphere. When she saw windows, dim rays of light from the cloudy sky managed to creep in. To top it all off the sound of the rain was getting heavier and slamming against the complex. Other than that there was no sound save for her own padded footsteps and her breathing. She turned another corner to find boarded doors lining it. She pushed at each one just in case with her boot, but none of them budged.

Her legs kept moving and she kept searching. It seemed almost like a maze and by chance she found the stairs. She would have liked to have found the reception area first but she wasn't about to turn back. She could find that room on her way out. The stairwell wasn't carpeted and so her footsteps echoed loudly no matter how much she tried to walk softly. Looking up between the middle of the railings she could see only darkness as the stairs would continue to rise many more floors. It appeared she was going to be here for much longer than she thought. After she reached the second floor another maze of dark and dusty hallways was waiting for her.

* * *

The seventh floor. Her legs were tired from climbing so many stairs and wandering around as often as she had been. So far her search had turned up with nothing. Every floor was the same, all the doors were boarded up. So she'd only seen empty hallways so far. She assumed this floor would be no different. With her scroll still lighting the way she began down the hall. Her eyes as usual scanning from left to right at every boarded up frame she passed. She coughed from the dust, she couldn't imagine how much of it she had inhaled by this point and it was starting to effect her. The rain outside was still slamming down, she had wondered if it would turn into a storm at this rate.

Her eyes caught something to her left as she shined her light against one of the boarded up doors. Scratched into the frame were three lines. It might be nothing but it was the only irregularity she had seen so far and it looked rather recent. Slowly she pushed her boot against the door to find the boards supposedly locking it down weren't connected to the frame around the door at all. It just slid open. She took a step back with caution, she'd be in a bad situation if there was a meeting in there right now but to her relief she heard nothing. With this positive sign she peaked her blonde head into the room, shining her light around. Inside were chairs facing one another, as if set up for meetings. At the back of the room was a bar- no, a counter that was no doubt used for a kitchen once.

Deciding the room was safe enough she moved in further. The windows were boarded like all the rest, allowing very little light into the room. All the furniture had been moved to the walls and out of the way. The place definitely had a shady vibe. As she prepared to start searching her heart dropped as she heard a door slam. A distant one with an echo. It was soon followed by footsteps, a lot of them. People were coming. She turned to gently close the door behind her as she sought a place to hide. Looking at how the chairs were positioned there would be no better spot than behind the counters of the kitchen. Neither sets of the chairs faced it directly so she'd have a better chance of remaining out of sight. As swiftly as she could she slid over the counter and ducked behind it, pressing her back up against it and then switching off the light of her scroll and placing it in her pocket.

The footsteps steadily got louder as whoever was coming ascended the stairs. She could make out what sounded like two sets. The first set was heavy and thud loudly with each stomp. The second was softer, but with a sharper click. Heels. It must be Junior and Neo. Either that or Winter was investigating with an armed guard, but she somehow doubted that. The footsteps stopped after reaching their loudest echo, they had likely reached her floor and were now walking upon the soft carpet.

Yang attempted to steady her breathing as she heard Junior's voice from outside the door. "Check it out" he spoke. The fact he never received a reply only seemed to confirm Yang's fears. The door to the room opened and she could hear someone walking around. Their pattern was erratic, moving from one side of the room to the other. They seemed to be searching and they were getting closer. The sound of her heels against the carpet, a soft thud that drew closer and closer. Yang stopped breathing entirely and it felt although her heart had stopped.

Surely she would stop searching. Surely she would turn around the second she was about to find her hiding spot, like in all the old movies. The investigator was always a breath away from being caught. But movies were just that. Movies. Yang's lilac eyes turned to see magenta and brown staring right back at her. That usual lopsided grin that just boiled her blood. Yang couldn't move. What was she going to do? Should she fight her? Should she try to run? Junior was waiting just outside the door.

It was then that to her surprise Neo brought a slender finger up to her lips in a hushing motion, gesturing for Yang to stay quiet. Her lilac gaze continued to watch her with confusion as Neo made her way towards her and stood right besides her upon her right, the side Yang was most at a disadvantage. Neo casually looked over the counter towards the door before tapping her umbrella against the counter twice, loud enough for Junior to hear and then enter the room. Yang remained as silent and still as she possibly could, still glaring up at Neo in confusion. Just what was she playing at?

Junior spoke out to Neo as Yang heard him approaching his chair no doubt. "Guess the wind knocked over them barrels" he commented. Yang cursed herself in her thoughts. The mess she had left had caused them to be cautious. The reason Neo had searched the room was thanks to her. She could see Neo smile at Junior with closed eyes and a nod. The way she always looked so happy was disconcerting when she was the most cruel, humiliating, sadistic person Yang knew. Then it started, as if she had heard her thoughts. Like she was trying to prove them right. Her right hand came towards Yang's cheek who tried to lean her head away, but not far enough. Finger and thumb pinched her skin sharply and without remorse, instantly cutting at the skin with her nails.

Yang kept in her desire to fight back, her desire to vocalize her pain. It clicked in her mind. Neo didn't want to reveal Yang, she wanted her to reveal herself. To be her own downfall. Such a humiliating strategy fit Neo just perfectly. Her movements were so subtle that Junior couldn't tell she was doing anything behind the counter.

"They're late. Sure you don't want a seat?" came Junior's voice once more, he sounded a little nervous. To which Neo shook her head, finally releasing Yang's cheek as a trickle of blood slid down from where she had pinched. But it didn't stop there as her finger started trying to simply poke her in the eye. Yang shut them tightly as a result, the prods were harsh and if she had her eyes open there may be a chance she'd lose one of them. Even with them closed though, it was painful. She had to endure, that was what she was made for. She was meant to be the tough one.

More footsteps became audible echoing from the stairwell. "Hah, like trained dogs they come running when you mention them" snickered Junior, to which Neo simply smiled and nodded once more, halting her attempted eye-poking and resorting to grabbing a fistful of Yang's hair and start tugging at it harshly. She grabbed at Neo's wrist to try and stop her but she just kept on pulling. Her hair was in no danger of being ripped out but once more, the pain was building on her. The sound of the other footsteps soon disappeared, likely meaning they were on the same floor. And not long after the door opened as three sets of footsteps came in.

"Did you knock over the barrels?" came a voice Yang didn't recognize as multiple people sat down, likely on the opposing chairs.

Quickly the response came from Junior, "No, must've been the wind. Had Neo here check the area, we're clear" he answered.

Neo had stopped tugging at Yang's hair and was now pulling at her ear. It seemed like the torment wasn't going to end for a while. Yang grit her teeth, it was already taking all of her willpower to not set ablaze and start attacking.

The voices continued. Yang had to pay attention despite the abuse she was receiving. This is what she came for and she wasn't going to let some brat ruin that for her. She had to listen, ironic that Neo was almost trying to pull her ear off by the lobe. "So do you have news on the girl?" asked one of the voices.

"We do..." Junior paused, as if thinking on his words. "Not about her personally though" he answered.

"Wasting our time then?" came a response as Yang heard someone stand up to their feet.

Quickly Junior's reply came again, "Now just hold on. It's not about her, it's about someone looking for her. Her partner" he answered.

Blake. They were talking about Blake. Neo was sure to know this was information Yang wanted to hear, so her torment only increased further. Her heel placed itself upon Yang's thigh and started to crush down against it, the heel delivering a stabbing pain into her leg. As a result she opened her mouth in silence, trying to hold in the agony. It was then that she felt Neo push her finger and thumb into her mouth, gripping her tongue and trapping it between them as she started to dig her nails into it. She wanted to bite down on her fingers but if she did it was likely to get a reaction out of Neo and alert the others. Her eyes started to water from the pain.

"Which one?" asked the unknown voice, seeming more interested and sitting back into their seat.

Junior chuckled once more, "The one your boss gave a helping hand" he said, joking about Yang's condition. It only made her blood boil more, she wasn't sure how much longer she could take this kind of treatment. But this did confirm something to her, the other members were White Fang and they were looking for Blake and using Junior as an information broker for that purpose. She felt Neo tug at her tongue harshly, causing her to wince from the pain once more.

"Neo stop carving things into the furniture, how many times do I have to tell you? It's evidence" spoke Junior as Neo looked up to him, offering an apologetic grin. It appeared he had noticed some of her upper body movements.

"How do you know she's looking for her? Did she come to you?" asked a member of the White Fang.

Yang endured on as finally Neo stopped stepping down on her leg, but instead of returning it to its previous position on Yang's right side, her leg stood down on her left instead. She was practically stood on top of Yang now who could only glare up at her from a new intimidating view. Neo placed her umbrella down onto the counter, freeing her own left hand. The reasoning for the new position became apparent, Neo didn't feel like she was doing enough damage with just one hand and in order to make it look like she was doing nothing to the others, she had to reposition. Yang watched as Neo's left hand came towards her face, and soon after her nails started raking across her skin, leaving red marks upon her flesh.

"Yeah, she did. Good thing I've got one hell of a bodyguard" replied Junior, completely oblivious to what was happening. "What about you anyway? Can I expect your side of the bargain to come into play now?" asked Junior.

The member of the White Fang replied with a sigh, "You'll get your delivery of dust, but it'll only be half the amount in return for your half-measure" he spoke.

Yang once more looked up at Neo as her nails stopped carving into her skin, the hold on her tongue only tightened however, she could already taste copper. She watched as Neo idly started sucking on the index finger of her left hand. "Half-measure? Come on guys, you've got a monopoly on dust thanks to your operation with Torchwick" spoke Junior, sounding rather annoyed.

"If we start rewarding you for doing a bad job you'll get lazy. If you want your dust, impress next time" stated the White Fang member, Yang could hear them all standing up. A wave of relief flowing over her pained form as she imagined an end to this torture. That being said Neo had removed her index finger from her mouth and brought it down towards Yang. The finger and thumb pinching down on her tongue finally stopped, but instead their purpose turned to keeping her mouth open as the saliva-covered finger pointed at her. She couldn't give in. She couldn't let Neo get her way. She tried her best to close her mouth before Neo repositioned the hand holding it open so that she would have to bite down on her in order to stop her. And as mentioned before, that would surely cause a reaction.

Junior sighed in defeat, "Fine. Fine" with that Yang could hear the door open, and people leaving. If only they would move faster. She didn't have much time until... Neo closed Yang's mouth gently around her finger that pressed down on her tongue, pushing it around inside her mouth. Yang shut her eyes in humiliation. Neo would die for this. She would kill her. It might not be here, but she would dedicate herself to beating that smug face into the ground, no, she would tear it apart piece by piece. She glanced up to see Neo staring down at her with her sadistic grin, she clearly enjoyed breaking her spirit. A little too much, you might think, as her light complexion took a slight shade of red upon her cheeks. With her spare hand she took out her scroll, briefly messing around with it before taking a silent picture of Yang with her lips over her finger.

"Neo" began Junior as he stood up. Neo quickly looked to meet his gaze. "Neo what are you doing?" he continued with a questioning tone. With a brief pause Neo showed him her scroll, she was half way through a saucy message it seemed. "Okay..." began Junior awkwardly. "Hurry up and finish your texting, I need a drink" he finished. Neo watched him intently as he left the room. After that she looked back down to Yang who glared up at her, her eyes red and full of fury. Yet neither of them moved yet. Junior was still just outside. It became a silent stare down with Yang's furious stare meeting Neopolitan's smug one.

Slowly the finger was pulled from Yang's mouth, the source of the almost sickly sweet taste leaving, though the taste would no doubt linger for a while longer. A loud echo came from the stairwell and as soon as it did Yang hurled her fist up towards Neo with a scream of rage. Before she could meet her body however Neo had sprung her knee towards the side of her head, harshly knocking her down to the ground, dazed. As her vision steadied she could see Neo once more sucking on her own finger, the one that had been in her own mouth. Along with that she could hear footsteps quickly echoing back up the stairwell. Her cover was finally blown, but she had won. She didn't break in the middle of it.

But now she just wanted to see what Neo looked like with a bruised and bloody face. She stood back up to her feet and attempted to rush her with a charge, kicking off the floor with her right leg and using Celica to launch herself with increased momentum at her target. Neo simply rolled herself over the counter, avoiding the attack and landing on her feet on the other side as Yang crashed into the wall, creating a hole in it to the room next door. The footsteps outside were rushing down the hall, as much as she wanted to rip Neo apart she had to leave. Upon her wrist Ember reloaded before being thrust forward, a missile firing towards Neo who side-stepped the attack once again. The rocket hit the boarded window behind her but destroyed a larger chunk of the wall entirely. A hole to the outside had been created, the rain still hammering down.

Yang kicked off the wall behind her with Celica as the door slammed open, Junior appearing with weapon in hand. As she launched herself at the opening Neo intervened, slamming a kick against her lower half and causing her to flip forward and slam into the ground in front of the escape she had made. She was close enough though and crawled towards it, pushing herself out into the open. She didn't care how big the drop was, she'd find a way to survive. As she started to fall she was abruptly stopped, looking up she saw Neo who had caught her left ankle, she looked furious at the fact Yang had just attempted to deprive her of her fun.

She wasn't going to let her have her way. With her right leg she used Celica to launch a blast up towards Neo who had no choice but to drop her in order to continue her streak of not being hit by an attack. Yang started to fall, the vision of the pavement growing closer and closer. The sound of a gunshot and an object moving swiftly into view, a black ribbon trailing in its path. She knew this object.

Gambol Shroud.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Falling with the rain she reached her hand out in desperation for the familiar grip of the weapon in front of her. As if she had done it a hundred times she managed to catch it with ease, holding on tight as she felt it tug, someone pulling at the other end and causing her to fall into a much safer swing. Her boots slid across the wet pavement and she felt a sharp tug of Gambol Shroud, as if it's wielder was attempting to rip it back from her grasp harshly. Yang refused to let go and her lilac gaze followed the ribbon. It extended up towards the roof of the building besides the complex but she didn't see anyone. They must be further back on the roof.

Gambol Shroud tugged sharply again, trying to free itself. Gritting her teeth Yang planted a boot against the wall in front of her, effectively climbing up it as someone continued to pull at the weapon. The rain fell into her eyes and caused her to look away towards the entrance of the complex. The boarded front door of the building slammed open as Neo launched out, sliding into a sharp turn and using her hand to grasp at the wet floor before standing up straight and sprinting towards Yang with a crazed grin. Yang wasn't nearly high enough up the second building to evade her. She called out up to the roof of the building she was attempting to scale, "Hurry up! Faster!" she yelled as Neo was closing in. She leapt towards Yang with an outstretched hand, determined to halt her escape.

In an instant the black ribbon started pulling Yang up the building fast, faster than she'd expect anyone to be capable of, she wasn't light after all. Neo's clawing grasp scratched at her target's boot before passing beneath it, failing to grab on. She glared up at her victim as she landed, only to watch as she reached the top of the roof and out of her reach.

Yang tripped over the ledge and forward with a thud onto the roof of the building. She lost grip on Gambol Shroud which continued to pull itself at an alarming speed away from her. Looking up she saw no one, only that the ribbon now descended over the other side of the building she was on. They were getting away. Stumbling to her feet and rushing into a sprint Yang chased the weapon as it flung itself over the ledge and down into an alley. She heard the smash of glass as she leaned over the edge, looking down she could see the ribbon pulling the rest of the weapon into a lower window on the next building.

She wouldn't let her run away this time. She was awake and she could stop her. Taking a few steps back she charged towards the edge of the roof, leaping off and punching Ember forwards towards one of the lower windows on the next building. The blast from the weapon smashed the window open as she rolled into it. She was a single floor above where Gambol Shroud had vanished into but it wasn't hard to hear that another window had smashed ahead, somewhere below her. She continued her sprint down the old hallway, the wooden boards beneath her creaking with each step. The window ahead of her was boarded up, but that was no barrier for her. She leapt forward as she kicked against the ground with her ankle-mounted Celica, propelling herself forward with a blast towards the window and Ember aimed at it. With a devastating impact she punched right through the boarded window.

Rain and glass showered down around her form as she came hurtling into another alley that went straight on ahead. Some distance forward she could see a figure. Black hair. A bow. A white trailing coat. It was her. Yang landed with a roll as she pursued her target, Blake already had some distance on her and was coming up to a corner. "Blake! Stop!" yelled Yang as she ran as fast as her legs would allow. She received no response as she saw her target turn the corner. Yang briefly managing a glance at her porcelain face, but not enough to discern any details. She reached the corner and used Celica to kick off the wall on her right, propelling herself once more down her chosen route to close the gap.

There was an intersection just before them. Yang had gained on Blake and once more called out her name, but she received no response. As Blake came up to the intersection she split into two forms of herself and ran down both. Her semblance. However, Yang knew it didn't last very long and as she reached the intersection she quickly glanced left, empty. Looking right she saw her once more and gave pursuit. For a final time using Celica to close the last bit of distance between them. Reaching out her left arm she tackled into Blake's waist only to pass through her and slam into the floor unprepared. It was her copy. Grunting and raising her head to look down the passage she once thought was clear she saw Blake turn a corner at the end of it. She was deceived. Blake had hidden herself behind a trash can to make it seem like the one that turned left was the fake. And when Yang had turned right she came out from hiding and ran.

She couldn't give up. Standing back up to her feet she started a run towards the last direction she saw Blake head. As she reached the intersection a heel came rushing in front of her face, smashing into the wall besides her. With a kick off the wall Neo landed back on her feet and gave Yang a lopsided smirk. With a blink her eyes swapped colours. The rage was too much. With a scream and a burst of fire Yang's eyes turned red and her hair lit up. She offered no words, no insults. She voiced only her frustration. She leapt at Neo with her fist ready, slamming with great force towards her. Neo opened up her umbrella as it lit up with the flame from the attack before rebounding Yang's fist. Yang wouldn't let the foiled attack stop her as she made a sharp hook with Celica, aiming to kick Neo in the hip. But once more the smaller woman evaded as she jumped up over the leg, slamming her knee into Yang's face and causing her to recoil, to be pushed back further from Blake.

She couldn't take it any more. The fact Neo kept getting in her way didn't seem fair. It didn't seem right that she was simply unable to best her. She started sending punch after punch with her left fist towards the woman who just kept on dodging, parrying and blocking with ease. Not even her semblance was helping her, and Neo hadn't even used hers yet. With a sharp kick she sent Yang stumbling back again. Followed by another, and another. With each attack Yang was forced further and further away from Blake and the alley and towards the street. And Neo was loving every moment, knowing the pain and torture she was causing.

As Yang tried to charge at her Neo delivered a wide arcing kick that slammed her into the wall, pinning her against it. She brought her leg back and slammed into her gut again. And again. And again. Yang tensed herself, if she could maybe build up her semblance enough, if she could endure a little more maybe she could do something. And Neo was falling right into the trap as she gave kick after kick, the same motion into her torso. The tears welled up in Yang's eyes once more as they started to slide down her cheeks. The repeated attacks to the same spot doubling in pain each time. Finally Neo halted and grabbed Yang by the throat, pinning her to the wall as she wiped away her tears with the finger of her other hand. Once having done that she threw her to the ground. Groaning and stumbling Yang got up to her feet, she could see Neo lick her tears from her finger, a sadistic expression as she looked down at her with yet another deep blush.

Yang decided she had built up enough power and with as much effort as she could muster she jumped up towards Neo, moving herself into a drop-kick. Her feet came into contact with her umbrella but it wasn't damage Yang was aiming to do. She needed pure force. As Celica activated she launched from Neo's umbrella, the impact so powerful that Neo was even shunted backwards slightly from the blast unharmed. Cracks appeared in the walls of the alley and Yang fell onto her back in the middle of the open street, having covered some distance.

The sound of marching feet rushed to her and rifles cocked. When Yang opened her eyes the Atlesian soldiers were around her, two at the front kneeling down with three behind them, all aiming rifles down into the alleyway at Neo. They opened fire as bullets lit the area up, smoke and dust erupting. Yang watched on, her red eyes turning lilac and her hair fading back to its regular state. The smoke cleared. Neo was untouched with her umbrella opened. She started slowly walking back, her lopsided grin ever present as her eyes blinked, swapping colours again. Before the soldiers could open fire again the walls that Yang had damaged started to crumble, creating an efficient escape for her rival. Yang had just inadvertently saved Neo. The tears continued to fall from her eyes. She failed to catch Blake. She failed to beat Neo. And because of her the soldiers failed to do anything about it. Shutting her eyes tight she could feel the soldiers start tending to her, calling over a medic and securing the perimeter. One thought kept rushing through her head. Why did Blake run? Why did she try so hard to get away from her? She could feel herself being moved, or carried. The sound of a humming engine drawing near, doors opening. She was laid upon something soft as the sound of the doors closed and the engine revved. The more the adrenaline faded the more she felt the impact of Neo's kicks. A sharp scratch touched her arm and quickly her eyes started to feel weighted. She had been sedated and she was starting to lose consciousness. Eventually she didn't hear anything at all.

* * *

She didn't know where she was. Everything was dark. She could hear her surroundings but they always seemed muffled, as if her head was under a pillow or she was wearing headphones. The first thing she felt was something scratching softly at her neck along with a strange buzzing sound. A bee maybe? After a while new sounds came in, stuff moving around. Doors opening. A familiar voice, it sounded almost like her father.

"Oh? Are you her friend?" his voice spoke, she could barely hear it and heard no response, as if the other person was too far away. A friend though? It had to be Blake. She had no other friends in Vale. "I admit I didn't know you had such a close relationship with her" continued Taiyang's voice. Once more Yang couldn't hear the reply, it was too soft, too far away. It was just like Blake to be quiet. "Hah, that's a cute picture. I'm glad she has someone she can rely on again" her father's voice spoke, he almost sounded happy, relieved that his daughter seemed to be completely over her disability. "You got matching ones? I remember when me and Summer planned something like that, we didn't go through with it though. Thought it was too... Oh, no, don't get me wrong. It's nice that you trust each other that much". The conversation had started to confuse Yang, perhaps it was only because she could hear one side of it.

Various sounds continued. Doors opening. Closing. Opening again and closing once more. Footsteps all around her, the sound of consecutive beeps. She didn't doubt she was in a hospital by this point. Sooner or later and light started to shine into her eyes as they began to creep open. The fluorescent light above her shining down onto her bed. She gently tilted her head to her left side to see a familiar person sitting beside her, and smiling brightly.

"Dad..?" questioned Yang as her father leaned forward from his chair, resting a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"Steady buttercup, you got banged up pretty bad" he spoke, simply seeming happy that his daughter was awake.

Yang groaned as she tried to move, the pain on her ribs was there but it was manageable. "Why... What are you..?" she asked.

Taiyang chuckled softly, "Did you really think I was going to sit at home when both my daughters ran away?" he asked. Of course he would've come running. He wouldn't have dared sit on his ass while his one-armed daughter was out in the world. With Ruby he had to stay behind for Yang, and when she left there was no reason for him not to chase her. "I'm just glad you had someone else looking out for you until I got here, and you're glad your aura is so strong, otherwise you wouldn't be able to move a muscle right now" he continued, picking up a glass of water from the side of the bed and offering it to his daughter.

Yang drank from the glass with a thirst, her mouth felt so dry it seemed like it was about to crack, the refreshing liquid quenched her desires. She drank so eagerly that she almost choked, causing Taiyang to pull the glass away from her. With a loud sigh Yang leaned back into her bed. "Company..?" she asked, eye lilac eyes turning to Taiyang.

With a knowing grin Taiyang answered, "Yeah. She cares a lot for you, you know? She was sitting right here besides you. I didn't know you were... like that, but honestly I don't mind. You make a nice couple" he continued, chuckling.

Yang looked even more confused than she had earlier. "Couple..?" she questioned.

Taiyang waved a hand at her in jest, "Pfft, no need to hide it from me. You know who I'm talking about" he answered with a wink.

She groaned again as she sat back up, "I... I'm not sure what you're talking about, me and Blake-" she was cut off abruptly.

"Blake?" asked Taiyang. He pulled out his scroll and briefly swiped through some of his images. "No, look. She sent me this when she was here, she's really quiet. Your girlfriend, Neo" he responded, showing Yang the picture. In it Yang was asleep, unconscious. Neo was right there, with her lips pressing up against her cheek and looking to the camera. More alarmingly was that something was different. Yang's neck ached as she saw it. Upon her neck in bold black letters, "NEO". And upon Neo's neck was Yang's name in the same format.

Her eyes went wide and blazed red instantly. Taiyang knew the look, those eyes haunted him every time he closed his own. Not because they were Yang's, but because they were also Raven's. She tried to punch the scroll in her father's hand with a scream of frustration but her body ached as she attempted, causing her to whimper and halt her action half-way.

"Y- Yang!? What's wrong!?" yelled her father, standing to his feet as her heartbeat started to race, prompting the heart monitor to beat at a faster pace.

Yang continued to cry, she couldn't believe it. Neo was out to destroy every aspect of her life. She had fooled her own father into thinking they were a couple. Her father had talked and laughed with the girl who tortured her. He thought they were a cute couple. Everything about it was wrong. It was sick. How could someone be so twisted? So cruel? Her heart continued to pound faster as her father called for help, she felt like she was going to burst a blood vessel. A rush of hospital staff came into the room and pinned her down to her bed. Yang tried to push past them to see her father, "D-Dad! Don't her back in! She's-!" she was halted as one of the staff tried to push her back down to the bed, another preparing a syringe. Yang managed to yell out once more, "Tell them to bring Winter Schnee! Tell her I need to talk!" she continued as her father watched horrified.

"Yang I will just calm down please!" he replied frantically as one of the doctors finally sedated Yang. They started to ease off the pressure upon her as the anaesthetic started to work its way into her blood. Taiyang sat back down on his chair, holding his head in his hands, unsure of the entire situation.

As Yang felt herself grow weaker she tried to voice her words, she tried to warn her father about who Neo was. But her voice never escaped her lips. Slowly the room grew darker and she soon fell under once more.

Neo knew who her father was and Blake was still missing. Nothing was going right.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Yang lunged forward upon her bed in shock only to be halted as a gloved hand pressed against her shoulder firmly, gently pushing her back down into a laying position. "You're safe" came Winter's soft voice, she was sitting besides her bed upon a chair. It took a moment for Yang to notice her surroundings once more, her breathing was heavy and her whole body was in a sweat as if she had woken up from a bad dream. "You've been thrashing around in your sleep" noted Winter as she removed her hand from Yang's shoulder, idly placing it upon her own knee instead.

"So... It was a dream then..?" Yang spoke weakly, rubbing her eyes with finger and thumb. To say her hair was a mess is an understatement.

"Was what a dream?" asked Winter as she watched over the woman in the bed curiously. One leg crossed over the other in an almost regal fashion.

Her lilac eyes turned to meet the icy blue of Winter's. "Neo" stated Yang as she tried to fix what she could of her hair, at least pushing her fringe from her eyes at the very least.

Winter paused and gave a slight frown. She shook her head, "No... That was not a dream..." she answered in a seemingly regretful form.

With a surge of fear in her eyes Yang brought her left hand towards her own neck, it still ached. The tattoo must still be there. She looked back to Winter and spoke urgently."W- Winter, my Dad, where is-" she was cut off as Winter held a hand out towards her in a calming expression.

"Stop" she ordered, silencing Yang with her words. "Your father is being monitored much like you were. We get an update on his location every ten or fifteen minutes. You need to calm down now and talk to me" answered Winter, lowering her hand back onto her folded knee. She looked as elegant as you might imagine, back straight and chin up. Her gaze only slightly narrowed at Yang.

Yang seemed to ignore Winter's request as she spoke, "How did she get in here?" she asked, looking to the door of the medical room. She could see the shaded figures of two guards outside.

Once more Winter paused as if she didn't have a good answer. "We... Don't know. The only people who had access to this room have been myself, your father and the hospital staff. And before you ask I am fairly certain we would have noticed a girl with pink and brown hair posing as a nurse. Neopolitan was neither seen entering nor leaving this building, let alone your room".

The words did little to comfort Yang. If Neo could get into her room without anyone knowing, what was to stop her doing it a second time? She noticed Winter giving her a glare, as if still waiting for an answer to her own question. Shaking her head she opted to give a response, "I... I saw Blake" she answered.

Winter's voice snapped quickly, "Where?" she asked, leaning forward in her chair to listen more intently.

"The... apartment at the edge of the industrial district... I chased her through the alleys but..." Yang stopped as she recounted her failure to catch Blake. She watched as Winter immediately took to her scroll, typing out a message with deft fingers.

"Anything more?" asked Winter, to which Yang nodded before resuming.

"Junior is... getting shipments of dust from the White Fang, he gives them information on Blake to pay for it..." she managed, reaching out her hand for the glass of water at the side of her bed. Winter noticed this and paused her typing to take hold of the glass and hand it out towards Yang. She graciously accepted the glass and started drinking from it as Winter returned to her scroll.

"I will have some men search the area. Unfortunately we will have to avoid doing anything about Hei Xiong for now, but the White Fang? Perhaps we could squeeze some information out of him if we promise not to take his current supply of dust" spoke Winter, finishing with her scroll as she looked back up to Yang. "If we cater to his greed and suggest it may be possible for us to bring down the White Fang, it'd give him a monopoly on the dust he has already collected. And I am sure that man would love nothing more than that. With that in mind he will hopefully tell us everything we need to know, thinking we'd unknowingly be helping his cause" she finished, taking Yang's empty glass back from her and placing it on the side of the bed.

Yang's expression slowly started to shift into a bleak one, looking to Winter as if she could somehow help. "Why did she... She ran from me..." she spoke, her voice somewhat cracking. She didn't want to believe Blake left her for some nefarious reasons but with running away she was making it all the more harder to believe. It was as someone once told her. The innocent never run.

Winter's expression softened towards Yang somewhat, it seemed her heart of ice could thaw at times. "I am... sure she has her reasons. Don't cast aside a happy ending just yet, Miss Xiao Long. I know that I have not" she spoke, reassuring the girl in front of her.

Of course. Winter had Weiss to worry about, and she was far away in Atlas living a life she didn't seem to want. And once more Yang was here, thinking that her worries were the only ones in Vale. It made her feel self-centred and she frowned once more, looking to the window. "Do you miss her...?" she asked.

"Miss her? No. We often spent large amounts of time away from each other so it is nothing I've not experienced before" replied Winter coldly, but then her voice once more softened after a pause of consideration. "But I do worry, enough that I would be willing to go to Atlas this very moment to retrieve her. My duty prevents me from doing so however. I could tell my superiors it was for the objective of re-uniting your team but they would simply have me remain in Vale seeing as your Miss Belladonna is still here" she answered, her voice by now had lost all of its tense nature.

Yang turned back to the woman sitting besides her. She felt something strange when Blake was referred to as being hers, but was sure it was simply the way Winter worded it and nothing more. "If you help me find her, if you help me get my answers... I'll come with you, to find Weiss" spoke Yang, some amount of determination having been returned to her.

Winter for the briefest moment looked shocked, she then smiled and shook her head. "There is no need to repay me for my work, Miss Xiao Long. Though the notion is well received" she answered.

"I'm not repaying you. After I find Blake I want to find the rest of my team. It's my job too you know?" responded Yang with confidence in her voice.

The Schnee thought about the idea, her cold gaze piercing Yang as she looked her over curiously. Eventually she extended her left hand out towards her. "Very well Miss Xiao Long. I accept your proposal" with that Yang shook her hand firmly. "I believe I feel myself more inclined to find your partner now, so assume that I am granting you additional support in the matter" smiled Winter before releasing Yang's hand. "But I think it is best we move onto your condition as of right now. Was it her?" she asked, putting emphasis on the last word.

Yang tried to shift her position slightly, the pain wasn't unbearable but enough to make her groan in discomfort. Her body still ached. "Yeah. She caught up to me when I was chasing Blake. I kept trying to get around her..." she nodded as she winced from the memory.

Winter continued to observe Yang. "She is certainly capable of some damage. I am more thankful that you are capable of taking it. Unfortunately you will be here for at least the rest of today, your aura is still working hard to repair the damage caused. The... tattoo however..." she began, looking to the bold letters upon the left side of Yang's neck that spelt out Neo's name, clear for all to see.

Bringing up her hand Yang touched at the ink on her skin, "I can't believe she actually..." she sighed to herself, suppressing the anger building up inside her already. "I'm going to get her for this. I'll break every bone in her body. She made me look like an idiot, she made dad think she was my... He watched as she sat besides me, playing pretend. He had no idea..." she said in a crestfallen manner, her eyes staring forward at the door blankly.

"She will most certainly receive her dues, I can assure you of that. Do you understand her semblance? Her strengths and weaknesses?" spoke Winter, finally standing up to her feet and marching across to the window.

Yang's lilac eyes tracked Winter as she moved across the room. "She can..." for a while she thought on how best to explain it. It was true that she didn't know exactly what Neo's semblance was, but she had seen it used on a few occasions now. "I... don't really know what it is, but sometimes when I try to hit her she shatters, but then she's somewhere else, ready to hit back. Back when I was on the train in Mountain Glenn she sort of... dazed me with a weird flash. Her eyes change colours too" she responded, giving her own impressions on the semblance.

Winter stared out the window in silence for several seconds before turning around to face Yang. "It almost sounds like some form of light manipulation" she answered. "Bending and shaping light so that she can cause illusions, or something so simple as change the colour of her eyes. But that would not explain the physical aspect of her illusions that "Shatter" as you so put it. Light is not physical, after all" finished the woman. "What else do you know?" she asked.

Deep in thought Yang remembered her fights with Neo, steadily patterns started to emerge in her mind. "She... mostly waits for me to attack first" she nodded, "She uses her legs a lot too, and that stupid umbrella that blocks everything" Yang added, she looked especially sour at that last part.

Nodding and taking in all the information Winter continued to ponder. "She sounds patient. She's certainly more of a responder than an instigator when it comes to a battle. That is likely the reason you can't do very well against her, you are... from what I've been told... very hot headed" she spoke.

Yang seemed a little stunned. "Was that a pun?" she asked.

Winter scoffed and waved her hand at the woman dismissively. "My sister's words" she replied. "When you are confronted with her again however, I highly suggest calling for reinforcements as you avoid direct conflict" added Winter as she walked over to Yang's bed with a hand outstretched to her. "Your scroll" she asked.

Yang didn't hesitate to hand her scroll over to Winter, for some reason she had complete trust in her. It might be because she was the sibling of one of her team members and the trust extended to them through that connection. "Reinforcements? Your soldiers couldn't do anything to her" responded Yang while Winter took her scroll from her hand.

The taller woman made a few swiping motions on Yang's scroll before she started tapping in numbers. "Be they efficient or not, they ought to dissuade Neopolitan from engaging you. And keeping you alive is in fact a priority in regards to my secondary objective here" answered Winter, eventually holding out Yang's scroll back to her. An additional contact had been added, it was simply called "Winter +".

Yang raised a brow at the name of the contact before looking up to Winter, "You'll help me out in a fight?" she asked.

Winter gave out a sigh, "As I mentioned when we first met, do not use it for your own convenience. Only call when you are confronted with Neopolitan again, or if you are in an emergency" she answered, somewhat dodging the original question. Yet Yang never saw fit to press it. "Now get some sleep" ordered Winter as she started marching through the room once more.

"Wait-" began Yang as the fear of being alone in this room struck her. Her fears were quickly quelled however as Winter took her seat besides the bed once more, looking down at her with a puzzled look. After realizing Winter was going to stay she awkwardly looked elsewhere, avoiding her gaze. "Just... Thanks. I guess" she muttered.

With a brief smirk Winter offered a simple nod in response.

* * *

She opened her eyes again but she was surrounded by darkness, save for the extremely dim light of the moon shining through the slits of the blinds on the window and the various LED's on the machines within the room. The heart monitor had been unplugged from her, they must have removed it some time in the night after deciding she didn't need it any more. But other than that she could neither hear or see anything. She shifted in her bed, the quilt making an audible sound. All of a sudden Winter's voice spoke in almost a whisper. "Trouble sleeping?" she asked. Yang could hear where the voice had come from, the chair besides her once again, but she couldn't see Winter herself. Yang reached her hand out to where she thought Winter was and in response the woman's hand clasped around her own. "I am still here. What is it?" she asked again.

Feeling some measure of comfort from the touch, Yang looked to where the ceiling would be as she talked, gripping Winter's hand. "Nothing... Just worried is all" Yang responded, she felt Winter's hand tighten around her own in reassurance.

"Your father is fine, look" spoke Winter. Yang peered in her direction before a bright screen engulfed her vision, making her wince. As her eyes adjusted to the bright light she could see that she was looking at a message. It stated that Taiyang Xiao Long was staying in an apartment down the road, and that he had safely entered it five minutes ago. More notably however was that he was armed.

Yang frowned at the message, "He's looking for her..." she said, some amount of worry audible in her tone of voice. The bright screen departed from her vision as Winter closed her scroll. The light had only caused Yang's eyes to have even more difficulty seeing in the dark as they attempted to adjust to the low light once more.

"Need I remind you that your father is a full fledged Hunter?" replied Winter. She wasn't wrong, Taiyang was such an extinguished hunter that he taught at Signal, and most of all taught Yang her style of combat. Even their weapons were similar. While Yang used Ember Celica, a once dual pair of gauntlets that could fire both missiles and shotgun blasts, Taiyang used two gauntlet weapons named Spark Dibolic. They appeared similar to Yang's gauntlets, only that Spark Dibolic could shoot powerful jets of fire and had built in gattling guns around the fists. The reckless and wide-spread damage of the weapons inspired Yang to build her own gauntlets which obtained even greater close-range and long-range capabilities.

Still looking unsure Yang replied to Winter. "I know, but I don't like him getting involved. Neo is my problem, not his" she answered.

"Be thankful that your father is willing to go to such lengths for you at all" responded Winter in her calm tone. As per usual the reality hit Yang again. It seemed that everything she was dealing with related to family, the Schnee family could one-up.

"Sorry" apologized Yang in a whisper at the realization, she felt Winter's second hand clasp on top of hers.

"Don't be. All I am implying is that you should count your blessings" she replied before finally releasing Yang's hand.

Her lilac eyes attempted to look at her surroundings for any visible clock in the room. Unfortunately she couldn't see anything resembling one and so she turned to the woman who sat besides her. "What time is it?" she asked puzzled.

After a brief pause Winter answered, she almost sounded a little tired. "Three in the morning. You should probably try and get some more rest, tomorrow will be a busy day for you no doubt" she replied.

"I've got no idea where I should start next..." muttered Yang, still refusing to sleep for now.

It sounded although Winter changed her seating position in her chair, if the ruffling of clothing was anything to go by. "Did you already forget? We're going to convince Junior to tell us more about the White Fang. It is likely we will also receive additional leads in the morning" she said with confidence in her soldiers.

"It is morning" retorted Yang.

Winter sighed to herself, "You know what I mean" she answered.

Yang felt like she had almost bonded with Winter over her duration in the hospital so far, and she truly felt safe around her. If what Ruby said was true, she was able to go head to head with Qrow and walk away just fine. Yang knew just how skilled Qrow was which meant that Winter must be on his level. If they ever encountered Neo together she was sure they would be able to take her on. And if they found Blake, Winter could probably catch her with relative ease using her glyphs.

With the support of Weiss' sister it seemed like the coming day would finally yield some proper results. That was all balancing on the fact that they could get an audience with Junior and get a few new leads by then of course. Blake won't escape a second time, and Neo won't make a fool of her for the fourth.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

As she began to gain consciousness she could hear a soft tapping. It sounded like somebody tapping their finger against hard plastic. She brought her hand up to her face as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, as well as her fringe which had once again gone wild. As she opened them her blurred vision quickly focused onto Winter. She hadn't moved an inch from her chair as she tapped repeatedly against her scroll. Her gaze turned to Yang upon the realization she was waking up. "Good morning Miss Xiao Long" spoke Winter, her tense and professional tone had returned.

"Just Yang" came the suggestion as she sat up in her bed, stretching her one arm above her head. "You been awake all this time?" she asked.

Winter nodded once, "One night of no sleep rarely impacts my performance in the field. I'm rather accustomed to it you might say" she replied before looking back to her scroll and tapping out a few more messages.

Yang touched her midsection as if to gauge the pain. To her relief she barely ached at all any more. "I'm feeling a lot better" she confirmed.

"Good, we need to move" responded Winter.

"What? Right now?" asked Yang, she hadn't expected that Winter would begin their work with such urgency.

The woman narrowed her eyes slightly, as if not used to having such questions asked. "Yes, now. We have a scheduled meeting with Hei Xiong and I would much rather not be late. I have already told my men that we are on our way so hurry now. I'll be waiting outside" she answered, standing up to her feet. She pocketed her scroll and waved a brush of her hair as she made her way to the exit of the room.

Yang glanced around for her things in a hurry, she felt that making Winter wait any more than a second would have dire consequences for her. "Just- Give me like two minutes!" spoke Yang in her rush.

"One" snapped Winter before opening the door and leaving the room.

* * *

Yang continued to struggle with putting on her grey jacket as she stepped outside of the hospital. Winter had been waiting for her and upon noticing her predicament approached her. "I can do it myself-" began Yang but it was too late, Winter had moved behind Yang to help her put the jacket on. She knew Winter was only being kind but she didn't like being treated like she was unable to do certain things, even if they were annoyingly difficult for her.

"We are already behind schedule" spoke Winter before tapping Yang on the shoulder as she passed her, making her way towards the street. Yang followed while continuing to make slight adjustments to her attire.

Steadily the blonde woman started to notice they were walking towards a very fancy looking motorcycle. It was almost as bulky as her own but the colour scheme was white and sky blue. It had a sleeker design too, being a product of Atlas no doubt. "Is that yours?" asked Yang, looking to Winter in front of her with some surprise.

"Weiss told me you had one yourself? I assumed it wouldn't be an issue in that case" responded Winter, eyes locked forward as she walked, halting in front of the vehicle.

Yang shook her head as she stopped next to Winter. "No, not an issue. It's just... Well... You're..." she paused as Winter narrowed her cold stare at her. "You know... Schnee-ish" finished Yang as she dreaded the reply.

Much to her relief however Winter simply smirked. "Stop wasting time, it is an efficient piece of a machinery" she answered as she straddled her motorcycle. She pulled out her keys and started the ignition as the bike began to make a low humming sound.

Looking at the bike in hesitation Yang spoke, "I don't have a helmet" she said.

"I assure you, I'm a far better driver than you are" replied Winter who didn't have a helmet herself, opting instead to reach into one of her pocket and pull out a pair of mirrored aviators and putting them on to protect her eyes from the wind a little better. Still looking unsure Yang reached into one of the pockets of her jacket and pulled out her own aviators before sitting on the back of Winter's motorcycle. There was a silent pause for a few minutes. "Well?" asked Winter, glancing back at Yang.

"Well what?" asked Yang in response, she knew full well what Winter was waiting for.

Winter sighed heavily, "What are you? Twelve? And sit closer, you are practically asking to fall off. I'm being serious, this vehicle is swift" she added. Awkwardly Yang complied, shuffling closer to Winter as her body pushed lightly against her, she then wrapped her arm around her waist. Once confirming Yang was in a safer position Winter revved the bike as it started to accelerate and pull out into the empty street. The sound of the bike was nothing like Yang's own one, which sounded far more volatile and booming. This one seemed more tame, smoother, but its power was undeniable.

Since she lost her arm one of her biggest regrets was that she couldn't ride her bike any more. Unable to feel the wind rushing through her hair, the heat of the engine, the smell of the fumes. This was as close as she had been to that experience since the incident and some part of her felt that she should thank Winter for it. She felt almost normal. The buildings rushed by as the bike sped down the street. As usual there were barely any other cars about which gave Winter almost full reign of the road. She slowed down as she turned a corner. The sky was without a cloud today, allowing the sun to shine on down freely upon the city. Yang imagined this to be a welcome respite for the citizens of Vale.

The bike came to a halt at an intersection, Winter simply stopped in order to check her scroll. Yang peered over her shoulder at the device. "Ah, good. The sniper team is in position should the negotiations go awry" said Winter as she closed the scroll, putting it away as she gripped the handles of her motorcycle once again.

"I feel safer already" muttered Yang as she held tighter onto Winter as she accelerated again.

* * *

As the motorcycle pulled up to the pavement the familiarity of the part of town they were in hit her. Just around the corner was Junior's club, or more specifically the back of his club. The realization dawned on her and she couldn't help but cringe at the fact Junior really did use his own back yard for negotiations. "Well?" came Winter's voice as she peered back at Yang.

"Well what?" asked Yang in return, getting a sense of deja vu.

Winter tapped the arm wrapped around her waist, the other woman quickly noticing that she didn't need her arm around her any more. Yang swiftly pulled her arm back and stumbled off the bike. "They are waiting for us around the corner, you should know that Neo is present" noted Winter, stepping from her motorcycle and removing her aviators.

Yang grit her teeth at the mere mention of the name, "Great. Can we beat her up?" she asked, removing her own aviators as well.

Winter shook her head, "We need the negotiations to go smoothly. A brawl is a last resort but I need to know that you will remain unprovoked and calm. Can you do that Yang?" she said, finally calling Yang by her first name. It sounded a little strange coming from her lips.

As if unsure of herself Yang paused in thought. "I... Yeah, sure" she confirmed, it seemed Winter had her doubts with the look that she glanced her with.

"Then let us not keep them waiting any longer" spoke the taller woman as she moved into a walk, Yang following close behind. Coming up to the corner they turned right and entered a wide parking space behind the club, it was lacking any cars however. Stood in the centre right in the open day light were Junior, the Malachite twins on his right and Neopolitan on his left. He had brought out his most capable bodyguards for the meeting it appeared.

As soon as Neo spotted Yang she smirked at her before slowly turning her head left to coincidentally show off her tattoo on the left side of her neck that spelt out Yang's name in bold letters. Neo's eyes seem to shift to Yang's own neck who instinctively attempted to pull up the collar of her jacket to hide her own tattoo. This only made Neo grin more.

Winter came to a halt in front of Junior's group, Yang stood to her left behind her slightly. Junior watched the two with a curious stare. "You join the military, Blondie?" asked Junior.

Yang didn't respond as Winter took control of their side of the discussions. "Focus on the reason we are here, Mr Xiong" she said in a manner that seemed to exude her militaristic personality.

Junior's eyes looked to Winter. "Yeah yeah. You're the one that called me out here, so how about starting with why?" he demanded.

With an idle brush of her fringe Winter replied. "We are to believe from a very reliable source that you possess a large quantity of stolen dust obtained through the White Fang, which as you might know is a terrorist organization. Hardly the kind of business a respected club owner should be partaking in, would you not agree?" she answered.

For a moment Junior glared back at Neo, who returned it with narrowed eyes. The man looked to Winter and Yang once again. "Oh I agree. Here in my club we abide by the law and its values for the safety of our loyal customers. I don't know where you heard about the dust from..." he stated, looking to Yang. "But I'm sure we can come to some... arrangement".

Winter smiled, "That we can Mr Xiong. I will put it as simply as I can. Where are you next scheduled to meet with the White Fang? We aim to bring down their operation with the undisputed might of the Atlesian military, so you needn't fear for your safety with regards to them. So long as you co-operate that is" she answered, folding her arms beneath her chest.

Yang's lilac eyes glared over the distance into Neo's mismatched set. The smaller woman was smirking at her in her usual fashion as she blinked, the colour of her eyes swapping. She idly took out her scroll and with a single tap placed it back into her pocket. Suddenly Yang's scroll vibrated within her own pocket. She pulled it out and saw that she had a message... from Neo. The picture Neo used for herself was the one of her and Yang in the hospital, immediately it irked her. She opened the message only to have her anger spike up again. An image had been sent to her, the one Neo had taken in the apartment complex. Yang looked at herself during that humiliating moment and darted a dangerous stare towards the woman. She felt Winter pat her upon the shoulder which caused her to restrain her emotions for now. Neo seemed to take note of this.

Junior spoke out towards Winter, ignoring the shenanigans from Neo. "How do I know you'll actually get the job done?" he replied.

"You will just have to trust us" retorted Winter.

The man still looked unsure, he paced back and forth as he pondered before he came to a halt. He glanced to the Malachite twins and nodded once before turning to look back at Winter. "How about I give you something you want in exchange for your word?" he asked.

To this Winter raised a brow, "What could you possibly offer?" she asked.

Junior shook his finger at Winter, "Not you" he began as he then looked to Yang. Without warning the Malachite twins had grabbed Neo's arms from behind as they restrained her. Neo looked confused and she tugged at her arms against the two girls weakly but appeared unable to break free. She shot a murderous glare towards Junior. "If you give me your word you'll take care of the White Fang... I'll give you Neo. If I'm honest she's become a pain ever since her obsession with you started. And I'm sure you're really wanting some revenge right?" he asked with a grin.

Yang continued to glare at Neo, Winter looked between the two before leaning towards Yang and whispering. "It would be beneficial to have her arrested, take it."

Listening to Winter she nodded before looking back to Junior. "Okay, you have my word" she answered. Junior nodded at the result and gestured for the Malachite twins to bring Neo towards Winter and Yang. The three stopped in the middle between them.

"White Fang will be at the warehouse tomorrow at midnight. I'm pretty sure the Ice Queen here knows which one" spoke Junior, fulfilling his side of the deal. Just before the twins were about to continue delivering Neo the tables turned. The smaller woman tugged her arm down sharply once more, but this time there was far more force behind it, pulling the head of Melanie down with her arm before sending her knee straight into her face. Melanie lost grip on Neo as she fell back onto the ground. "What are you doing!? Get her!" yelled Junior to Winter and Yang as Neo now free from one of her captors made short work of Miltia, snapping her across the chest with a swift kick and also sending her tumbling to the floor. Winter unsheathed her rapier and darted towards the smaller girl who turned to face her. As the rapier connected with her shoulder she shattered, reappearing some few feet away in front of Junior. He attempted to defend himself but before he could even bring out his weapon she had jumped up and slammed her heel down upon his head, promptly causing him to face plant the floor with a hard thud as she landed on his back.

Neopolitan turned around, still stood upon him. She gave Winter and Yang her signature lopsided smirk before in a wide motion she gestured at the three unconscious people now left in her wake. Winter paused, narrowing her eyes. She held out a hand to halt Yang who was ready to charge. "Wh- What are you doing!?" yelled Yang, she thirsted for her revenge against Neo. In silence Winter stood up straight, staring at the smaller girl before raising her hand and clenching her fist. As soon as the signal was given two shots fired from the building behind them with a loud resounding bang. They pierced Neo in the head as she shattered. She had long since departed the scene it seemed. Yang clenched her fist at the fact she had got away, grinding her teeth.

"That semblance is truly... bothersome..." began Winter before looking to the twins and Junior upon the floor. "Though it appears she was willing to trade herself for these three, and honestly I dare say those terms are... more than gratuitous" she said, pulling out her scroll before typing out another message.

"Sh- She's getting away though!" yelled Yang, glancing around for any sight of Neo.

"She got away" snapped Winter.

She was understandably frustrated that her rival had escaped. But now it seemed she was going to be more of a danger to her than before seeing as she had just so simply broken her ties with Junior. She wasn't on a leash any more, who knows what that mean't. Yang turned around as she saw Atlesian soldiers approaching quickly to secure Junior and the twins. At least they got information on where the White Fang would be next, perhaps a step closer to Blake. Since she lost sight of her in the alleyways Yang felt that the mere idea of Blake had almost turned into a myth. It had been so long since she had talked to her now. If only this trail of leads would move faster...

A military truck approached the scene as soldiers restrained the unconscious criminals before loading them into the vehicle. Winter approached Yang, looking down at her. "Do not be sour, I have no doubt we will be seeing her again. And Miss Belladonna is another step closer. If we can ambush that meeting and take them into custody we will have ample time to extract information from them in regards to her" she answered.

Yang kept glancing around, as if Neo would return any second now to kick her in the head or something. "I don't like the idea of her being out there. She's too..." she began.

"She excels in infiltration, yes. But look to the positives Yang" spoke Winter. She then looked to the club. "Though... I dread to close this place down... It might be an idea for me to find suitable bodies to run it in Mr Xiong's absence..." she added, her mind trailing off in thought. She stopped to look back at Yang. "Are you staying anywhere?" she asked.

Yang was still frustrated as she looked up to Winter. "What, I can't stay with you?" she asked.

Winter smirked softly, "Flattering" she stated.

"Not like... Ugh. Just- Yeah I have a place" responded Yang, caught off guard by the sudden jest.

Taking a final look at the crime scene being dealt with, Winter started the walk back to her motorcycle with Yang following behind, ever cautiously looking to her surroundings.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

She was back in her cheap rented apartment, finally getting some use out of it. She had planned to use it more often but between being taken captive by Winter's soldiers for a night and staying in the hospital she barely had a chance. Though even now it was not what she would have expected sleeping here to be like. Her lilac eyes stared out the half-covered window where the sun was just rising but did so from the other side of the building, leaving the outside looking dim. She couldn't see the sky from her current angle but she assumed it was once again filled with clouds.

Reaching out her arm she picked up her scroll from atop the drawer besides the bed. Opening it she found that she had no new messages, she didn't expect any but checking was more out of habit for her. With her tired eyes lit up from the screen she scrolled through her contacts, pausing upon Blake. Presented with her name and an image of the faunus she frowned. She still couldn't understand her reasons for running away at the apartment complex. Out of a sudden urge to contact her she began typing out a message which simply read "can we talk?". Her finger hovered over the send button as she hesitated. What if trying to contact her repeatedly via her scroll only damaged her now practically non-existent relationship with her? She didn't want to make matters worse for herself or Blake.

Before she could hit send her scroll vibrated, alerting to her that she had received a message. Her eyes widened slightly as she cancelled the message to Blake and opened up her inbox. The new message filled her screen. It simply contained a few symbols which read as "(~_^)". She furrowed her brow as she noted the sender, Neo. It seemed the woman was trying to ruin her day early. Furiously Yang began to send a reply. "i will break ur legs", she hit send and patiently waited for a few seconds. Her scroll vibrated and a new message popped up from Neo that read "(ʘᗩʘ'), (；一_一)". Making some sense of the reply Yang continued her retorts, grinding her teeth already. "go to hell" she replied in her message. A few seconds later came her response. This time it read as "ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ … ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ, (づ￣ ³￣)づ". They appeared to be getting more complex and Yang started to have a little trouble figuring out what Neo meant by them. She decided she would respond a final time and sent another message that said "get lost".

She moved to put the scroll away but before she managed it vibrated again. Curiosity got the better of her and she glanced at the new message that responded with "(ಥ﹏ಥ)". She didn't care what Neo was trying to tell her now. She was probably just trying to aggravate her, and if she was, well, it did the trick. She slammed her scroll back down upon the drawer besides her bed before shutting her eyes tight to contain some of the anger that had built up inside her.

"What's wrong now?" spoke a voice from behind her, it sounded groggy but attempted to uphold at least some refinement.

Yang glanced back over her shoulder, Winter was in her bed with her back turned to her. After they arrived at the apartment Yang had asked the woman to stay with her in case Neo came tracking her down. After some convincing Winter had accepted. Though much to her disappointment there was no extra bed, no sofa or even just a chair. There was only the bed and so the two had shared it, keeping their backs to one another at all times. "Nothing, just some stupid messages..." Yang muttered in response.

Winter replied as she kept her back facing her. "Those "stupid" messages would appear to be catching your nerves. Was it her?" she asked before pulling the quilt from herself, she had undressed the night before to the point she was in a long white shirt that dropped down over her thighs to cover herself adequately. The collar of the shirt hung loosely down one of her shoulders. She peered back to Yang for an answer, her long white hair falling down her back.

With a sigh she gave in, "Yeah, it was. Sick of hearing about her so let's stop. I got a plan for finding Blake" answered Yang, keeping her eyes to the window as Winter opened the door to the small bathroom. She shut it behind her but the walls were thin and her voice could be heard almost clearly.

"Oh? Do tell" she replied as the sound of running water came from the shower.

Yang raised her voice slightly to make it easier for the other woman to hear. "I was thinking about why Blake was at the apartment complex. Do you think she knew there was a meeting?" she called out, finally sitting up in her bed as she brushed her golden hair from her face and rubbed her eyes.

There was a brief pause before the response came from the shower. "I think I see what you are suggesting. You believe Miss Belladonna is aware of the meetings and keeping an eye on them herself?" replied Winter.

"Yeah. I don't think it was just chance or something" answered Yang. "So like... I was thinking we stay away from the meeting until she shows up maybe" she paused, "If she shows up" Yang corrected herself as she stood up from the bed, she was wearing her orange tank top and black shorts. Approaching the window she glanced outside to see the alley was empty, as was the street further ahead. Far too early for people to be out and about it appeared, never minding the state of the city.

"An interesting proposition" came Winter's voice again as the shower stopped running. "I will think upon it and if I find no better alternatives I shall see what I can do" she continued, remaining in the bathroom as she likely got herself dressed.

A thought passed through Yang's mind before she voiced it to Winter. "What do you plan on doing if we find her?" she asked.

The door to the bathroom opened as the woman stepped out, her hair still wet and hanging low down her shoulders. Yang hadn't realised just how long her hair was when she let it down from the usual bun it was in. She was now fully clothed in her regular attire as her eyes looked over to Yang. "As her partner that depends entirely on you. If you would like to confront her yourself we can arrange that" answered Winter.

Yang looked down to her feet, "She'll probably just run if she saw me again" she answered dejectedly.

"Then we prevent her from running" replied Winter with the obvious answer.

The blonde woman shook her head, "No, I don't want to cage her like an animal. I won't do that to her"

Winter debated with herself before coming to a conclusion. "What if we were to lead her into a dead end? Say we take an abandoned building and lock down the windows and all the exits bar one. We then lead her with you chasing behind and close the doors. You will have all the time you need then, and it won't be locking her up. Simply her running to a place of her own choice that just so happens to not have an exit" she voiced her plan to Yang who looked unsure. If anything she didn't want to force herself on Blake but she was making it difficult to avoid doing that.

"Can I ask why there are so many abandoned buildings in Vale all of a sudden?" asked Yang, almost as if changing the topic but it was a question that was starting to bug her.

"The same reason the streets are empty" answered Winter. "Now stop standing around in your shorts and take a shower, we have stuff to do" she added with a slightly strict tone of voice.

Yang crawled over her bed to get across the room and towards the door of the bathroom. "We do? I thought the meeting was at midnight?" she asked, half way across the bed.

Winter narrowed her eyes at Yang for a moment, "It is" was all she said, leaving a confused Yang to enter the bathroom, closing the door behind before readying herself to take a shower.

* * *

The clouds had begun to part in the sky, giving way for the sun once more which blazed down with a surprising heat. Yang found herself sat at a glass table on the roof of a small diner. The building was two stories tall and the roof was simply a large open dining area. The table was next to the balcony of the building and looking down Yang saw the street, very few cars or people passed by. The entire diner itself was empty save for maybe one or two guests and the staff. Across from her sat Winter, her scroll upon the table as she continuously typed out messages upon it. In front of the two were two bowls of ice cream. Winter had urged Yang to eat something and when she found the heat to be almost unbearable she had the wise idea of ordering something cold. Though the flavours she picked could have been more considerate as Yang looked down at her yet to be touched bowl of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream.

Winter paused her messaging as her light blue eyes glanced up at Yang. She watched her simply stare at her bowl for a few seconds. "Is something the matter?" she asked, though knowing full well what the issue was.

Yang snapped her head back up to Winter as she spoke. She idly pushed her ice cream around within the bowl using her spoon. "You couldn't order something else?" she answered with a despondent tone.

The woman leaned in slightly as her voice sharpened, "If you allow her to defeat you mentally as well as physically then the next time she stands before you just drop to your knees. Because you will have already lost" she answered. Yang narrowed her eyes in response before she gripped her spoon and took a mouthful of the cold treat. She shuddered as she ate too much in the first bite but pressed on regardless. She wouldn't be defeated so easily. The most concerning part about it all however was that the taste was familiar to that moment in the complex.

After a short while Yang's bowl was finished. She held her hand to her head as she attempted to power through the brain freeze as she spoke. "S- So are we just... standing around until midnight..? It kind of feels lazy" she answered.

Winter looked insulted, "No. We are not" she stated, lifting her scroll to show Yang her many messages. "I have been planning with my men since we left your apartment. They have already found a suitable building near the warehouse and are currently devising a route to blockade in order to drive Miss Belladonna to the destination. They assure me they will have the area locked down and the abandoned building reinforced before midnight. The only issue we currently face will be locating the target herself and then getting her onto the correct path" she answered, pulling her scroll back to continue her work.

Yang watched her idly as she tapped away, finding little else to busy herself with. "I'm sure you'll think of something" she spoke to Winter in a less than enthusiastic manner. The woman simply glanced up at her once before looking back to her scroll. This prompted Yang to check her own. She had one message and much to her ire it was from Neo again. She opened the message to see an image of an empty and dusty room. Two sets of chairs faced each other with a counter behind them. The image didn't make much sense to Yang but the room seemed familiar. Before she closed the scroll another image was sent to her, this time of a different angle that faced the boarded windows of the room, only one had a large hole in it.

She knew what the room was now, it was the room that Junior had his meeting in with the White Fang at the complex. She pondered if Neo was there right now. Yang felt somewhat safer knowing she could be on the other side of the city. But what would she be doing there? A third image showed the area behind the counter where Yang had hidden, it didn't seem any different though the memories started to boil her blood again. Winter glanced up and took note as she silently watched her. A fourth image zoomed in on the counter where Yang had leaned against. There was a carving in the shape of a heart with the initials "Y + N" inside it. Once more Neo was mocking her. In retaliation Yang looked around for something to fight back with. She looked to her bowl and placed her scroll down before pulling it towards her. She used her spoon to write "YOU" in what was left of the thin layer of multi-flavoured ice cream at the bottom of the bowl before picking up her scroll again and taking a picture. She then sent it to Neo hoping that her message would be received clearly. She was going to erase Neo from existence if given the chance, just as she had erased her ice cream.

The reply came, it was a picture of Neo herself still in the room. She held her gloved hand to her mouth in an almost shocked expression, her mismatched eyes were practically smiling at the camera as her cheeks blushed deeply. Neo had taken a completely different view of the message, one that simply managed to frustrate Yang even more. She tightened her grip around her scroll and turned to throw it towards the street in rage. A vice-like grip grabbed onto her wrist as Winter leaned over the table. "Stop" she ordered in a very firm tone, "Stop letting her get the best of you".

Yang clenched her jaw, her eyes burning red as her grip on her scroll cracked the screen. Winter yanked her arm down towards the table and pinned it there. She gave Yang an accusing stare with her icy blue eyes. Yang's breathing steadied and her eyes started to fade back to lilac and soon after she let go of her scroll, shutting her eyes. "She's so-..." she began, wanting to yell every curse she knew of.

"I'm aware" replied Winter sternly before letting go of Yang's wrist, leaving a red mark where she had gripped her. "You are strong Yang, but that strength is wasted if you behave as a bull shown a red cloak. You will simply charge at it, failing to understand why none of your blows land" she answered.

"Why don't they?" asked Yang, glaring up at Winter.

"Because you are attacking with your emotions, not your mind. Like a bull. Stop letting your feelings dictate the battle. Both mental and physical ones" responded Winter, leaning back in her chair as she turned to her scroll once more.

Yang didn't quite understand what she meant. She had always tried to use her brain during a fight, she needed to know where to hit, when to hit and how to hit. "I'm not mindless" she answered, her voice having become more defensive in nature.

Winter gave an apologetic smile, "No, you are not. Perhaps it is that you simply lack experience. After all, your training was cut short. I can't fault you for that" she said with a softer tone. "What exactly did she send you if you do not mind me asking?"

Looking back to the now cracked screen of her scroll Yang sighed heavily, "Pictures from the apartment complex. She..." Yang paused, not wanting to explain her experience within that room as she frowned.

With a thoughtful nod Winter spoke, "You needn't tell me the details. But she is there now? At the complex?" she asked to which Yang gave a nod. Winter idly tapped a few times against her scroll. "I do not expect results but I would like for her to believe that nowhere is safe. She will have some soldiers in pursuit of her location now" answered the woman with a smirk as she looked to her device.

At that Yang smiled softly, "Thanks Winter" she answered.

Winter's gaze looked up to Yang, "Riding a motorcycle together, sleeping in the same bed, sharing a meal of ice cream on a sunny day. At this rate you might think we were friends, Yang" she spoke in a light-hearted manner.

Yang chuckled softly to herself, "We're not already? I can't wait for Weiss to see I'm buddies with her sister after all" she smiled, leaning back in her chair, the thoughts of Neo and Blake passing from her mind for now. A friend was just what she needed in times like these. Until now she had only considered Winter an accomplice but she welcomed the thought of friendship.

The fact Yang had spoke of Weiss in an manner that made it seem inevitable they would find her comforted Winter. She gave a genuine smile and nodded at her in silent thanks. The rest of the day would be spent in preparation for midnight.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Night had fallen over Vale. It was half an hour before midnight and there was still no sight of Blake. Everyone was in position. Soldiers were ready to storm the warehouse and arrest the White Fang there, others were ready at blockades to funnel Blake into an abandoned building with no exit. Yang herself was waiting in hiding at the side of a building, peering around the corner across the street was a taller building and at its roof stood the silhouette of Winter who was surveying the streets from above. The moon shining on her white clothing made her stick out like a sore thumb but she had assured Yang that Blake was unlikely to spot her for whatever reason. She squinted her eyes as she saw Winter move her arm, bringing something to her ear. Suddenly her scroll vibrated. Pulling it out she could see that the call was from her, she answered it and held it to her ear.

"Can you hear me?" came Winter's voice through the scroll.

"Loud and clear" replied Yang as she continued to watch her atop the building.

"I have been informed that there was a sighting, brief it may have been but it is the most we have had all night. Turn the corner and head north, pass two streets and then search the alley on your right. Some of my men are already moving into position in case it is her. I'll be watching" finished Winter as she hung up without a further word. She had a lot more people to organize after all.

Yang looked to her scroll before pocketing it. She moved into a light run, heading around the corner as Winter had directed. The night was eerily quiet, not a sound asides from her footsteps and the wind. Her face was filled with determination as she ran down the street. She was going to end this night with her answers. She crossed another street and she could see the entrance to the alley that had the reported sighting. Her steps grew lighter as she neared it, stopping just as she was about to turn the corner. With a deep silent breath she turned it, standing in front of the entrance with an imposing stature and a glare. Her lilac gaze scanned the alley yet she couldn't see Blake. She listened carefully, not a sound. It seemed unlikely that the Atlesian Military was seeing ghosts, someone had definitely been here and she could see two places one might hide. A large discarded box and a trash-can. The box was nearer and as Yang approached she tapped it with her foot.

The moment she did someone darted from behind the trash-can, rushing back down into the alley. A long white coat, black hair and a bow. Just as before. It was her. "Blake!" roared Yang, she wouldn't be left behind again as she darted into a sprint after her, kicking off with a blast from her ankle mounted Celica as it launched her into a head-start. Blake was heading straight for an intersection. One path led on straight ahead and into the street, the other turned left. As Blake neared it five armed Atlesian soldiers rounded the corners of the exit ahead, aiming their rifles as they yelled for her to stop. Yang could tell Blake was surprised as she almost skid to a halt before diving down the left alley.

The chase was still viable to be lost for Yang had yet to chase her target into the blockaded streets that led to the building. Thankfully Winter seemed to be on top of their progress from her vantage, coordinating her men via scroll. Yang was gaining on Blake now as they continued to run down the alley. There was a fire escape coming down from one of the buildings to the left and it appeared that Blake aimed to escape through it. She jumped up against the wall on her right before leaping towards the ladder that hung down from the fire escape. "You're not getting away!" screamed Yang as she launched herself with Celica into the air straight towards the fire escape itself as she hurled Ember towards it. Clutching onto the ladder Blake watched as Yang collided into the metal staircase above her, smashing her fist against the framework with a boom. Half of the thing shattered as the Faunus fell back to the ground with a rung in hand from the ladder. She threw it aside as she darted forward, avoiding any falling debris before continuing down the alley.

From what was left of the fire escape Yang leapt down at her target, aiming to tackle her into the ground. She wrapped her arm around her waist but slammed through her and into the concrete floor, rolling back up to her feet and into another sprint. Her aura had taken the brunt of the impact with the floor but Blake had now gained more distance between the two. Another intersection within the winding alleys ahead, this time there were three directions Blake could choose to go, and knowing her she would pick all three. As she reached the intersection her semblance activated. Each direction was taken, but not a second later Yang heard the Atlesian soldiers from the left and right corner yelling for Blake to stop. The one that went straight ahead was surely the real one in that case. And so with another burst of Celica Yang propelled herself forward towards her target that this time remained running in front of her as she landed and resumed her sprint, it was still Blake.

From every intersection the soldiers led the Faunus where they needed her to go. Sooner or later and the soldiers had vanished only to be replaced by large concrete barriers that completely sealed off some exits. They had entered the section of the city that had been properly reinforced and it was now only a matter of time until they reached the dead end. The two turned another corner and there ahead it was. A straight path towards a conveniently ajar door. For the first time since that night in Beacon Blake glanced behind her and Yang could see her face. It was the briefest glimpse of her features and her golden gaze. She didn't get a chance to fully study the expression but it almost seemed to be fearful.

The Faunus leapt towards the door and slammed through it, the door itself fully opening and halting at the restriction of its hinges. Not a second later did Yang burst through the door-frame, hot on her heels. The soldiers of the Atlesian military quickly came from their hiding spots and slammed the door shut behind them. The inside of the building was dark, barely a shred of light managed to get in and Yang knew Blake could see better than her in such lighting. Knowing this she halted as she pulled out her scroll, lighting up the path ahead of her. The only way out was for Blake to get past her, and if she knew she was coming there would be no chance of her managing that.

As she walked down the hall she could hear something repeatedly slamming against metal. And soon after multiple gunshots. "No... No no no!" came Blake's frustrated voice from further down the hall as the gunshots continued before turning into a repeating clicking sound, soon followed by the clash of metal again. The sounds were coming from the only door in front of Yang, this was it. She kicked the door open with her boot as the light from her scroll shined into the room. The windows were covered with metal plating, they had slashes and bullet dents in them. There she was in front of her, her back turned as she faced one of the metal platings of the windows she had attempted to open. Gambol Shroud in both hands. She seemed to be breathing heavily and her knuckles were white as she gripped her weapons tightly.

Yang paused, staring at the back of her friend. Despite what she had told Winter she had caged Blake. She took a step towards her as her voice called out. "B-... Blake?" she said, unsure of how to confront her. As she took another step forward she could see that the Faunus was shaking, her entire body in fact. "Blake... I-" the words simply wouldn't escape her lips. But they didn't need to. She heard a soft whimper from the woman in front of her, she gripped her weapons tighter as if trying to suppress herself. Then it happened, she dropped Gambol Shroud and fell to her knees, holding her hands to her face as she started to cry.

Her voice came out in shudders, "I- I'm sorry. I'm sorry I- I couldn't... I was- I was scared and-" she spoke amidst her tears. "It's all my fault. Everything was my fault" she continued. From that little alone Yang got her answer. Blake didn't only run because she blamed herself, she ran out of fear for how Yang would react to her being the reason for losing her arm. Blake couldn't handle the rejection of her friend.

Yang dropped her scroll with a soft thud, the light shined up at the ceiling as she clenched her fist and approached Blake who knelt in front of her, crying with her back turned. Tears started to fill her lilac eyes as she continued to approach her. She fell heavily to her own knees behind the Faunus and wrapped her arm around her chest tightly, pulling her into herself as she embraced her friend. "Blake it's... It's not your fault... I'm the one who ran in there. I'm the one who charged without thinking" she answered, her own voice cracking.

Blake continued to keep her hands to her face as the tears dripped down her chin. "You... You saved me and I... I ran when you needed me. When I should have stayed I ran, ran like I always do!"

"I- I needed you... Yeah. I was mad too, for weeks in fact. But if it wasn't for you I would have lost a lot more than my arm... We saved each other that night. And I'm sorry. Sorry for chasing you like I have. Sorry for trapping you here. Sorry for thinking the reason you left could have been anything more than you blaming yourself" continued Yang, leaning her head against Blake's.

Finally the Faunus lowered her hands as they moved to touch Yang's arm. The tears stained her cheeks as her golden eyes continued to water. She shut them tightly as she spoke. "I should have... should have called. I should have stayed when you came bursting out that building. I'm... I'm sorry Yang, for everything. I've been the worst... I don't deserve your sympathy..."

Yang squeezed her arm around Blake tighter, "Shut up you idiot" she spoke, trying to stop her own tears as she shuddered in a breath. "I missed you" she added in a softer tone.

Blake's hand softly traced Yang's arm. "I... I missed you too..." admitted the Faunus quietly, her own tears steadying. The two sat upon the floor for several second in silence, simply savouring their reunion. After what had seemed like a year, here they were. Together again. Finally Yang's arm lowered as she released Blake. The two stood up and the Faunus turned to face Yang. They stared into each others eyes. A golden gaze set upon lilac. Slowly the two gave one another a weak smile. "You look... good" nodded Blake.

Yang's smile widened, "You're one to talk. Fancy new coat and everything" she replied, to which Blake snickered softly, shaking her head. Once more they stood in silence, simply watching the other. It seemed surreal to Yang, to be standing here with Blake before her once again. She sighed to herself before outstretching her arm for another hug, to which Blake responded in a friendly manner. The two embraced one another again, leaning their heads against the others shoulder. "Have you... heard from anyone else?" asked Yang in a more serious tone.

"No... The last I spoke to Weiss was before her father took her back to Atlas... While you were-" Blake silenced herself, idly stroking one hand up and down Yang's back. The sensation comforted Yang, she didn't realise how calm something so simple could make her feel.

"Don't worry about it... I moved past it, so should you..." replied Yang as she referred to her arm.

A long pause came between the two again as they enjoyed one another's company. "How did you... set this up?" asked Blake with an almost concerned tone of voice.

Yang slowly pulled away from the embrace as Blake did the same. "Weiss' sister helped me. Winter" she answered honestly.

Blake's eyes widened, "W- Winter Schnee?" she asked in a shaken manner.

"Yeah, is that-" began Yang before the two heard a door slam shut outside of the room. Yang looked back to Blake who took a step back, fear had wrapped her expression. "We- We need to hide" she stated.

"What? Blake, Winter is my friend, what are you so worried about?" asked Yang as she took a step after her.

Blake grabbed Yang's shoulders with vice-like grips as she looked deeply into her eyes with a sense of urgency. "Don't let her take me" she answered firmly, trying to keep her voice low.

"Yang!?" called out a voice from down the hall as footsteps grew nearer. It was Winter. "Yang, are you okay!?" called out the voice again with some concern.

Yang stared into Blake's golden eyes as she pondered upon her words. She gripped her shoulder assuringly. "Don't worry. I won't let anyone get in our way again" she spoke with confidence to which Blake sheepishly nodded in return. Yang looked back and with a pause she called out, "Winter! I'm fine!" she yelled.

The footsteps grew quicker and louder as the woman entered the room. Yang's scroll upon the floor did well enough to light the entire room. Winter's cold gaze darted to Blake who stood behind Yang peering over her shoulder with little confidence. The woman's eyes then turned to Yang as she wore a more friendly expression and sighed with relief. "When I heard there was reports of gunfire I feared the worst. I am glad that you are okay" smiled Winter as she approached the two. Blake stood closer to Yang as she did so, picking up Gambol Shroud. To this she caught Winter's attention once more. "Miss Belladonna, I presume?" she asked.

Yang glanced back to Blake over her shoulder who nodded once in reply to Winter's question. Yang turned back to Winter as she spoke, "Did the ambush at the warehouse work?" she asked.

Winter picked up Yang's scroll and held it out to her. "It did, we now have an additional three White Fang members within our custody" she answered.

"Additional?" asked Blake's voice from behind Yang as the blonde woman took her scroll back, turning off the light and pocketing it. The golden eyes of the Faunus narrowed slightly towards Winter who paused before she chuckled.

"Do you think us so incompetent that we have never arrested members of the White Fang before?" replied Winter, maintaining a friendly expression. "But anyway, we ought to be going now. Our work here is done, at least I presume so?" she asked, looking to Yang.

"Where are we heading?" replied Yang who seemed more cautious now.

Idly tapping through her own scroll Winter offered a response, "You will be free to do as you please Yang, but I must ask Miss Belladonna here some questions in private. Much like I did with you the day we met" she replied, looking up from her scroll.

Yang could feel Blake grab the back of her jacket. "I finally found her, can't the questions wait?" asked Yang.

The taller woman kept her icy gaze upon the two for a moment, her expression stern. She eventually smiled once more and closed her eyes softly, "Of course, I understand. Will you need transport to your apartment? If so I could arrange-" she was cut off as Blake spoke.

"I think we could use the walk" said the Faunus, her eyes unmoving from Winter who gave her a curious glance.

Yang offered Winter an apologetic smile after Blake had cut her off mid-sentence. Winter herself almost seemed to frown. "Very well. Yang, I'll be hoping to hear from you soon, you made a promise after all" she spoke, looking to Yang.

Yang couldn't remember if she had promised or not, but if she refused to help Winter find Weiss she would feel rotten. "Don't worry, we'll find her" she nodded assuringly to which Winter gave a genuine smile of thanks before stepping aside for the two.

"In that case please enjoy your evening" she said, gesturing to the exit.

"Goodnight Winter" said Yang as she passed with Blake following closely behind her. The Faunus gave Winter a stare as she returned it with cold narrowed eyes. Yang was oblivious to the exchanged looks behind her.

* * *

Together Blake and Yang had left the abandoned building and made their way to the streets. It was as quiet as usual and they walked side by side. "Do you trust her?" asked Blake as she looked to the blonde.

Yang gave Blake a questioning expression, "Yeah, but why don't you?" she asked in return.

Blake looked on ahead as she walked on Yang's left. "Remember what Weiss told us about her history with the White Fang? There's someone who had to deal with them a few years longer than she did... Someone with a record for harbouring hatred towards Faunus and to top it off, access to the Atlesian military..." Blake spoke, seeming worried.

Yang hadn't considered it before. She knew that Weiss had suffered at the hands of the White Fang and that should have made the connection to Winter easy. But somehow it passed her. Maybe it was better to not let Blake go with her now that she thought of it, but the kind person she had grown to know Winter to be... Surely that couldn't change based simply on race. "She scares you then?" asked Yang, looking to Blake concerned.

The Faunus lowered her gaze, "With my history it'd be better to just avoid her as much as I can" she answered. She looked back up to Yang, "What did you promise her?" she asked.

"I can't remember if I promised, but it's something I wanna do anyway. Find Weiss. I said I'd help after we found you" she answered with a smile.

"You're planning to reunite the whole team? Now that you mention it, where's Ruby?" asked Blake. Of course, she had no idea about Ruby.

Yang frowned, "Yeah. I am. And Ruby... I... She left home and I just watched her go. Didn't even try to stop her. Didn't care at the time..." she answered. She felt a soft hand clasp around her own.

Blake offered her a comforting smile, "I'm sorry for bringing it up but I think we've had enough blame for one night. We'll find her, just like we'll find Weiss" she answered. Yang smirked at the Faunus as her own hand gripped hers tighter.

"Thanks Blakey. We've got a lot to talk about in the morning by the way, so lets get some rest for now" responded Yang as the two continued down the pavement, the street lamps lighting their path ahead.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Gradually the room of Yang's apartment had lit up from the morning sun and once more she found herself staring to the ceiling. Only this time her thoughts were empty for now. She no longer had to find Blake for she was right besides her sleeping soundly in her bed. She had a hand upon Yang's left arm as if for some reason she would lose her come the morning. The blonde had no intention of separating herself from Blake for the foreseeable future.

She felt a calm upon her that she hadn't felt in a long time now, she enjoyed every moment of the blissful morning, even if it was spent in a cheap apartment where the paint was almost peeling from the walls. She turned her head to the left to look upon Blake. Still she slept quietly with her eyes closed. She was close enough that Yang could almost feel the breaths she took from her parted lips tickle at her bare shoulder. Though to her disappointment her breathing halted, but not seconds later and her golden eyes were looking back at her tiredly.

Yang offered a soft smile to the Faunus. "Sleep well?" she asked.

Blake made a weak attempt to cover her mouth as she yawned. It almost seemed like she was about to fall straight back to sleep. "Your bed... is really uncomfortable..." muttered Blake with a weak smile of her own.

"You think?" asked Yang in response, she either hadn't noticed or didn't mind at all. She went to move her arm as Blake reluctantly let go. Reaching over for her scroll Yang opened it to reveal the cracked screen. She had no new messages.

"I've been meaning to ask..." came Blake's soft voice to which Yang could see she was staring straight at her neck. She predicted the coming question. "Why do you have..." Blake continued, staring at the tattoo.

Yang frowned and brushed some of her golden hair over her shoulder to cover the mark. "It wasn't my choice" she stated.

Blake sat up in the bed, she wore a tight fitting grey shirt that only seemed to display her form in all the right places. She reached her hand forward to brush back the hair Yang had attempted to use to cover the mark. Gently her fingers traced the tattoo as she sighed. "We'll make her pay for it" she answered.

She couldn't explain it but every touch she received from Blake seemed to cause her breathing to almost stop entirely. Perhaps it was just part of the excitement she got from simply being by her friend once more. "Every time I've tried to beat her up, I'm the one who ends up taking the hits" replied Yang, some frustration rising in her tone as she recalled the fights so far.

"If we see her again you won't have to fight her alone" smiled Blake, lowering her hand as she pushed herself up and off the bed, moving to peer out the window. Yang respectfully glanced away, because asides from her grey shirt Blake was only wearing her black underwear. It was nothing Yang hadn't seen before as they used to share a dorm together but for some reason it only felt right to respect her privacy now.

"So... What have you been doing?" asked Yang, remaining in bed for the time being as she tried to avoid the topic of Neo further.

Blake turned to face her and upon noticing that Yang was looking away she started to dress herself more appropriately into her usual attire."Asides from avoiding you I was looking for..." she paused. "Looking for Adam".

"Adam?" asked Yang, looking back now that Blake was clothed.

"The one that..." began Blake, looking to Yang's arm who then caught on. To this Blake nodded, "I couldn't let him get away with what he did to you... So I searched. I stalked every member of the White Fang I could find, listened in on their meetings. I even went back to Beacon" answered the Faunus.

Yang looked shocked as she sat up in her bed, "You went back? I heard it was completely overrun, you could have got hurt again!" she replied, clearly concerned for her friend.

"Yang" stated Blake in a firm tone before her voice softened again with a smile, "I can take care of my self. I have since we were all separated. The point is I couldn't just leave him free. He had to pay. He... Has to pay" she said, her voice growing a little colder towards the end of her sentence.

"But after what he did you to last time? You can't take him alone" replied Yang.

"In the same way you can't take Neo alone" answered Blake. "So we do it all together, like we were meant to" she added before crawling over the bed to get to the other side and in doing so, over Yang who leaned back slightly to let her pass, her lilac eyes briefly scanning over her form idly.

She sighed at Blake before offering a smile herself. "Well if you couldn't find him what makes you think I can help? And Neo just seems to show up to get in my way, I never had to find her" she replied, looking to the half-covered window afterwards.

Blake turned to face Yang. "Then it's simple. We look for Adam and Neo will interrupt us" she answered.

Yang looked unconvinced, "It can't be that easy" she replied as if expecting some catch.

"But it might. So get dressed already. I could do with some food" finished Blake as she took a step back towards the door, leaning upon it as she waited for Yang.

"You know I was hoping that after I found you I could relax a bit" said Yang just before her scroll started to vibrate continuously. She looked to the caller to see that it was Winter. "Speaking of not relaxing..." she sighed before answering the call.

Winter's voice came through the scroll, it seemed as tense as usual but also urgent this time around. "Yang, it's your father, he found Neo". Yang's eyes widened.

Blake looked curiously at the scroll but narrowed her eyes at Yang's reaction to whatever the call was. She waited patiently for her to hang up and as soon as she did she asked, "Is something wrong?"

* * *

Her lungs felt raw, each breath of air painfully cold in her throat. She hadn't stopped running since she left the apartment. Blake was managing to keep up with her, having stayed silent since they left as she seemed more inclined to follow her friend's lead. They had been making their way towards the docks where Winter had informed them was where Taiyang and Neo were located. The distant sounds of repeated gunfire could already be heard, accompanied by a mechanic whirring which made it the iconic sound of Taiyang's gauntlets, Spark Dibolic. As they grew closer the sound only became more intense. Ahead they saw what was likely the field of battle, an area filled with large metal containers which created an industrial maze of metal. Some signs of battle visible already as a number of the containers had scorch marks and bullet holes.

Reaching the maze of containers the two found Atlas soldiers unconscious on the floor while others took cover from the hail of bullet-fire that no doubt came from Taiyang. The gunshots were constant and just around the corner now. Blake moved forward but before she could turn the corner Yang had grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, only for some wayward bullets to pass by. Blake looked alarmed at the fact that Yang's father could be so reckless with his weapons. They could already hear his voice as he yelled out, "Think you can just mess with her life like that!?".

Yang grit her teeth, her father was trying to solve the problems she created. She made for the corner, not bothering to heed her own caution knowing the area of damage that could be caused by Spark Dibolic. As she viewed the battle she watched as her father charged towards Neo who had her umbrella open in front of her. His right fist was behind him ready to punch as he charged with his left aimed forward, the built in gattling gun around his fist providing a solid stream of bullets to keep his target in place. As he punched forward with his right fist the gattling gun began to spin but it did not fire. The punch connected against the umbrella as it shattered, like it usually did when something finally came into contact with it.

All of a sudden a blade was held to Yang's throat, she was harshly tugged so that she was positioned in front of both Taiyang and Blake. Yang looked down at the sharp sword that protruded from the end of Neo's umbrella, but her father had yet to realise she was even here. He turned aiming one of his gauntlets that showered a stream of bullets in the direction of both her and Neo. Too late did he realise he had fired at his own daughter. Yang shut her eyes tight, she heard Blake gasp. She heard the bullets collide with something. Herself probably.

Yet she was still thinking. She opened her lilac eyes and saw an opened umbrella in front of her. Through it she could see Taiyang, his eyes wide as his gauntlet continued to aim at her, frozen. She could also see Blake who was also frozen still at the sight, one arm outstretched as if she was attempting to reach for her. But the umbrella in front of her... Had Neo stopped the hail of bullets from hitting her? She was small enough to use Yang herself as a shield, so why protect her? Before she could come to a conclusion the umbrella in front of herself shattered, she spun around to find that Neo was nowhere to be seen.

"Y- Yang...? Yang!" yelled Taiyang as he lowered his gauntlet, rushing towards her. The Atlesian military finally came out of cover, checking their surroundings for hostile activity. Blake continued to stay behind the corner of the container, simply looking at Yang unsure. She felt her father's arms embrace her into an apologetic hug. "Yang, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you! I was just so consumed with teaching that brat a lesson that I-" He was cut off as a voice called out.

"Under arrest" came Winter's voice as she stepped onto the scene with her quite loud heels, folding her arms across her chest as her soldiers began to surround Taiyang with rifles aimed and ready.

An awkward pause fell over the area before Yang furrowed her brows at Winter, escaping her father's grasp as she yelled. "What!? What do you mean he's under arrest! He didn't do anything!"

Winter narrowed her icy gaze at Yang as Blake rushed towards the blonde woman, reaching out to grab her arm to stop her from advancing towards Winter any further. "Look around, Yang. What do you see?" asked Winter as she motioned with her hand.

Yang wouldn't have looked if not for the fact that she felt Blake's hand squeeze at her arm, calming her to an extent. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area. Damaged containers. Unconscious Atlesian military. It looked like a terrorist attack. She knew very well where Winter was coming from. Taiyang's recklessness had caused damage to both the property around him and the soldiers who were no doubt trying to assist him. She didn't want to accept it though, she almost refused to as she glared back at Winter.

"Don't be the bull, Yang" spoke Winter coldly, her eyes piercing her deeply.

With a growl Yang turned to start approaching her father who was already in the process of being cuffed. "What were you thinking!?" she yelled, hurling her anger at him instead as Blake attempted to restrain her respectfully, but in her fury the blonde pushed her away harshly and causing the Faunus to stumble back with a dejected look on her face. But right now Yang didn't care, her emotions were taking too much of a hold for her to really notice.

"You think I was going to let her get away with it!?" yelled Taiyang in return, almost tugging at his cuffs. "She made a fool out of me and you suffered for it! I can't let that slide and call myself a father!" he responded.

"You can't call yourself a father if you're dead either! She's dangerous!" yelled Yang once more as the soldiers started to pull her father away.

Taiyang looked back at Yang, "Dangerous!? She didn't even land a hit on me!" he yelled before abruptly being pushed into the back of a military van.

Yang was about to yell back but halted as she saw Blake frowning at her, only now realizing how she had just treated the Faunus. "It's okay" came Blake's voice, those were the exact words Yang didn't want to hear. Acceptance of her harsh behaviour, especially towards a friend.

The blonde grabbed at her own head, she didn't like it when too many things were rushing through her mind at once, too many emotions. She shut her eyes tight, "No, no it's not okay. Nothings okay" she spoke to no one in particular. She felt a hand place upon her shoulder. Even now Blake wanted to comfort her. She hardly felt like she deserved it.

"Forgive me Yang, but I could not ignore it" came Winter's voice, she was still present and stood before the two. Yang understood, her father had broken the law or maybe even worse.

"Why can't he just... stay out of my business..." muttered Yang as she referred to her father. Taiyang had meant well, this she knew, but Neo was her issue and hers alone.

She felt a second hand upon her other shoulder and opening her eyes she could see Blake in front of her, her expression stern. "Just... take it one at a time" she suggested, as if she knew Yang so well that she could tell she was confused by the sudden stream of multiple events that had taken place. Thoughts were running through Yang's head. Why had Neo protected her? Why didn't she beat her father to a pulp? How long was he going to be held for? How could she treat Blake like she had after only just finding her again? Why did Winter always have to be right?

Yang shuddered in a breath and decided to start with the simplest, looking apologetically towards Blake as she placed her hand upon hers. "I- I'm sorry Blake, I wasn't seeing straight-" she began.

Blake offered a friendly smile in return, "Just like your father?" she asked. If anyone was unsure as to wherever or not Yang was Taiyang's daughter, today would have proved it. They're as reckless and bullheaded as each other, even if most of the time they were unaware of it. "I forgive you" added Blake. Sometimes she seemed almost too good to be true with the way she treated Yang.

Yang offered a sad smile to Blake as she nodded at her, happy to have been forgiven despite still feeling terrible for what she had done. She looked over her shoulder to Winter who stood as professionally as ever. "I- I'm sorry for yelling at you for doing your job Winter"

Winter outstretched her arms as she spoke, "And I am sorry for arresting your father" she admitted before lowering them.

"How long do you think he'll..." began Yang. As if knowing the question she would ask Winter had replied before it was finished.

"We'll know in a few hours, but you may be looking at a few weeks" replied Winter. Her eyes seemed to slowly drift towards Blake who looked over her shoulder towards her. "That reminds me" began Winter, keeping her focus upon the Faunus as her gaze narrowed slightly.

Yang tugged Blake closer to her side. "Really? Now?" asked Yang, looking to the area around them once more. Winter did the same as she bit her lip in contemplation.

"Very well. I very much wish to speak to you however, Miss Belladonna. When you have the time of course" spoke Winter. Blake never replied to her as she simply kept watching cautiously. Yang could tell she was growing more tense around Winter. If they were going to work towards finding Weiss however the two would need to come to some middle-ground.

"Is there... anything else Winter? Not that I don't like your company or anything, you're awesome" said Yang as she presented an awkward smile to the woman.

Winter smirked and closed her eyes gently, "For now, no. I am making progress on receiving permission to move to Atlas. I will keep you informed" she replied.

It was the part of Winter that Yang liked to see, the part of her that was more the caring older sister than the specialist of a military group. With that Winter spun on her heel and started marching away, offering a wave of her hand behind herself. Yang gave a brief wave back before looking to Blake.

"So... why does Neo have your name tattooed on her neck?" asked Blake as she smirked at Yang.

Yang scoffed and glanced away, "Let's just... get something to eat okay? I'll buy you some tuna or something".

"R- Really?" asked Blake in a fashion that tried to hide how truly excited she was, her eyes shining with hope.

The blonde nodded once as she linked her arm with Blake's, the Faunus seemed to tense up suddenly from the contact but allowed herself to be led by Yang who remained oblivious to the reasoning. "Sure thing, my treat" she spoke, her lilac eyes subtly scanning the area around them for any sign of Neo. If anything that woman had turned her into a paranoid wreck that she didn't often like admitting.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"You don't seem very upset about it" came Blake's voice, she sat across from Yang at the same diner she had once visited with Winter. The two were at a table besides the balcony that looked down at the street. In front of Blake was a simple plate with a sandwich cut in two halves, the filling was quite clearly tuna and a number of bites had already been taken from it. Yang on the other hand had ordered a hamburger that she had barely touched for now. Her lilac eyes glanced up to Blake at her question.

"What's to be upset about? It was his own fault for butting into my business again" answered Yang before looking back to the street below. For a change there seemed to be a few people around today, walking the pavements or driving down the road. The diner itself had more customers as a result.

Blake offered Yang a sceptical expression, "He tried to help" she answered.

With a sigh Yang waved her hand at Blake, "Yeah yeah. I know... but still, he should mind his own business" she replied before slouching forward and leaning her head in her hand as her elbow rested upon the table.

The Faunus took a bite from her sandwich, taking the time to chew and swallow before continuing the conversation. The way she ate was refined, Yang had come to expect nothing less for Blake was always neat and tidy in most things she did. "How long is he there for?" she asked.

"Winter did what she could but... a few weeks. At least it gets him out of my hair for a while, one less thing to worry about right?" asked Yang before sitting up straight again in order to free her arm and pick up her hamburger so that she could take a bite.

Blake watched Yang, her golden gaze seemed to judge her. "He's still your father" she replied.

Unlike Blake Yang did not wait to finish her food as she spoke. "I know but he was getting in the way. It's not like I don't care, I just don't think it's a bad thing. Not... fully at least" she finished, swallowing her food and leaning back against her chair as her eyes remained on the Faunus in front of her.

The raven-haired woman sighed quietly to herself before she opted to shift the topic. "What about Neo?" she asked.

"What about her?" replied Yang casually, she seemed far less tense, now that the worst had passed at least.

Blake appeared unsure for a moment as she tapped her fingers against the table, she looked down to the streets. "Did you... see her face when she grabbed you?" asked Blake, her words growing softer as if she didn't want to voice herself loudly. But there was also hesitation.

Yang thought back as she looked up to the sunny sky as she placed her hamburger back on the plate, she had barely even gotten a good look at Neo this morning during the encounter. "No, but let me guess, she was grinning like an idiot?" asked Yang as her eyes landed back upon her friend.

The Faunus tilted her head as Yang was partly correct. "At... first". To this Yang raised a brow suspiciously. "When your father fired at you she looked... alarmed, and not in the surprised way, it was like she was protecting something. And after she blocked the bullets with her umbrella she gave him this glare like she was trying to kill him with her eyes there and then" finished Blake, looking straight on towards Yang for her reaction.

"You think she was trying to protect me?" asked Yang, she smirked in a way that looked although she was about to laugh at the idea.

"I'm not saying that. It was just... strange. I thought for sure she was going to use you as a shield. And what about your father? He said he never got hit right? Is he really that good?" continued Blake, leaning forward slightly in her chair as she got deeper into the conversation.

Yang paused for a brief few seconds that were enough to show she was certainly confused by the whole scenario. "He uh... He's not that much better than me. We used to spar a lot. Him not getting hit at all is..." she brought her hand to her head as she scratched it while her thoughts wandered. Though it was true she had never seen her father at his full potential, she had only ever trained with him.

"Strange? Unusual?" asked Blake.

With a heavy sigh Yang rested her hand back upon the table, "She's probably just trying to mess with my head" she answered as she ate another bite from her meal.

Blake considered the answer before nodding once, "I guess..." she agreed, though she certainly seemed to look although she had her doubts.

"Oh yeah" Yang spoke, her tone a lot more as it should be. Blake's bow ever so slightly flicked in her direction before she paid her full attention to the woman. "Why didn't you pick up when I called you?" asked Yang.

Blake blinked, she didn't seem to have an immediate answer as she awkwardly starting tapping her fingers against the table once more. "I... uhh..." she began, unable to find the words she was looking for. Yang simply stared on at her patiently. Blake bit her lip and tried to avoid her stare. "I just... I was worried you'd yell at me" she replied.

Yang chuckled, "Really? That's the reason? Didn't you want to talk to me?" she asked as she began rocking back and forth on her chair haphazardly.

"Of- Of course I did!" spoke Blake in a slightly raised voice, as if she had to be sure to let Yang know she wanted to interact with her. She hadn't realised she had stood up from her chair slightly and as she glanced around she awkwardly sat back down with the faintest of blushes upon her cheeks. "I was just worried, you know? I didn't know what I'd even say, what could I say?" she answered, her voice quietening down as she immediately decided to shut herself up by taking another bite of her sandwich.

With a wide grin Yang leaned forward once more, the sound of the front legs of her chair slamming forward as they were safely placed back upon the ground. "So you were shy? That's so you Blakey" she responded in a teasing tone.

The blush on the Faunus only deepened as she continued to try and avoid the lilac gaze of her friend as she swallowed her food. "Sh- Shut up" she muttered, though it was clear she never meant it in a hostile fashion.

"Hey, speaking of calling people though. Did you try Weiss?" asked Yang, legitimately curious.

Blake appeared to be steadily recovering as she responded, "Uh... Yeah. I did actually. You just get redirected to some receptionist that runs you in circles. I couldn't get through to her" answered the Faunus.

Yang held a disappointed expression as she listened. "Guess her dad is a real jerk..." she replied.

"What about Ruby? Have you tried her?" asked Blake as she peered to Yang, the blush having left her cheeks.

"She never picks up" answered Yang in a slightly downcast tone of voice. "Don't even know where she is. My uncle said he was going to look out for her though" she answered, raising her own spirits somewhat with the reminder of Qrow.

Blake frowned at Yang and reached out her hand to touch upon hers, "I'm sure she's safe" she answered with one of her usual soft smiles that Yang never seemed to grow tired of seeing. The blonde smiled in return and nodded.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Thanks Blake" answered Yang as she took her friend's hand into her own. As before the Faunus tensed slightly at the return of the comforting gesture, yet once more Yang either ignored it or was simply oblivious to it. The latter seemed more likely.

"Don't mention it" she replied as she smiled awkwardly, yet despite that her hand never released Yang's. A silent pause passed over the two. Eventually, and in a subtly crestfallen manner, Blake retracted her hand. Once again her friend failed to notice that anything was amiss.

After taking another bite from her hamburger Yang pointed a finger at the Faunus. "Did you know Winter has a bike?" she asked.

Blake leaned her head against her hand as she glanced down to the street, her attention seemed distant, either that or she simply didn't care about topics regarding Winter. "Oh, does she?" she asked.

Yang swallowed her bite. "Yeah, it's a pretty nice ride. Fancy Atlas stuff. It's really quiet too, which was weird at first I guess" continued the blonde woman, clearly more interested in the topic than Blake was.

"Guessing her father bought it for her?" replied Blake, her words carrying some slight venom to them now.

"Well, dunno but I'm sure Winter has a lot of her own money. I mean she's a specialist in the Atlesian military, she has to be doing well for herself right?" asked Yang. Blake only offered an agreeing hum in response. It was finally blatant enough for Yang to notice as she asked "Hey, everything okay? Is the tuna bad?" she asked.

"Does she impress you?" asked Blake as she ignored the latter question, her golden eyes searching Yang.

With a brief pause of confusion the blonde woman replied, "I guess. I mean, she's really cool when you think about it. And I didn't mean to make that a pun, it just came out" she answered. Blake offered a single nod to her before turning her attention back to the street. Yang made a puzzled expression but before she could speak her scroll vibrated as it so often liked to do when she was busy. She turned her attention to the device as she opened it, the caller was unknown. Bringing it to her ear she greeted whoever was on the other side. "You've got Yang, who's this?" she asked.

"What is that? Some kind of disability?" came Junior's voice from the other end.

Yang scoffed as she heard his voice, "Hey Junior, how's prison life?" she asked. Blake glanced up to her as she spoke, almost as if her attention had been caught.

Junior's voice seemed calm, "Oh just fine. Had the grand tour, made some new friends, met another Xiao Long. How are you doing Blondie?" he asked, but Yang had fallen silent as he mentioned her father. "Well I guess that answers my question. It's your old man isn't it?" continued the voice.

"If you-" began Yang as her voice grew more threatening, but Junior's voice cut her off.

"I ain't laying a finger on him Blondie, relax. I just wanted to talk business now that I got some time to make calls" came the response.

Yang continued to speak into her scroll as Blake kept her focus pinned on her, she appeared to be listening intently and it was unsure wherever she could hear Junior's voice from the other end. "You wanna make business calls from prison? Isn't that a little risky?" asked Yang.

"What do you think I am? Some kind of amateur? Don't answer that" snapped Junior. "No, I got a scroll imported. But lets get down to brass tacks eh?" he replied. Yang remained silent, allowing him to continue. "Right, I'm guessing you should have seen this one coming but I've got a score to settle with a psycho sundae. Not only are our interests in seeing her dead mutual but I could sweeten the deal with more info on your Faunus girl. How's that-" he continued before being cut off by Yang.

"I found Blake" stated Yang bluntly.

"What?" came Junior's response.

Blake leaned forward so that her voice would be heard, "She's right, I'm here" she answered as she spoke into the scroll.

The voice of Junior was absent for a moment. "Well thanks for ruining my bait Belladonna" he answered in an annoyed tone.

Yang raised a brow at the way he referred to Blake. "You'd have just given her the same information you give the White Fang anyway" replied the Faunus before moving back towards her chair.

"I feel like I missed something" commented Yang as she looked back to her scroll.

"Your beauty in black didn't tell you? Ask her about our deal later. For now we're talking about ours" spoke Junior once more.

Yang frowned slightly in her confusion. "Right... so what if I say okay?" she asked.

"You get the address of the ice-cream parlour and we both sleep better at night after you clean it up. It's that simple" responded Junior.

Yang looked over to Blake briefly, she only seemed to be watching. "What makes you think she hasn't moved?" asked Yang.

A snicker came from the scroll. "I wasn't joking when I said she built an obsession over you. It got to the point she was dragging me down. She won't move because she wants to give you as much of a chance as she can to find her. She wants you to go to her" answered the man.

"Then it's a trap?" asked Yang.

"You'd think it right? But see, I doubt she really expects you to go to her apartment. She probably thinks you're too afraid of her for that. She'll be vulnerable. She leaves the chance open so she can hope, get it?" continued Junior.

Yang nodded slowly, despite knowing Junior couldn't see her do so. "The more you talk about this the more it annoys me" she replied, her brow furrowing.

"Then do something about it" stated Junior. Another brief pause before he continued, his voice suddenly having shifted tone. "But... I'm only saying this because there's a real chance it'll go south... You be careful around her, got it?" he spoke. It was odd to her ears to hear any form of concern from him.

"I'll be fine" replied Yang as if stating it as fact.

"No, you don't get it. Neo is... She's not right. Something about her is just off... like how you can tell milk is out of date before even opening it. It's just that... feeling that something is wrong, yeah? She's broken, Blondie, and there's no telling what twisted things she has planned for you if she gets the chance. I'd rather you kept breathing instead of her" finished Junior.

With a drawn sigh Yang replied, "Okay, I get it. I'll be careful. What's her address?" she asked in request.

"I'll text it, I think someone is walking by. Catch you around Blondie, I'll say hi to papa bear for you" chuckled the man. Before Yang could respond he had hung up on her. Her lilac eyes steadily drifted over to Blake who was still observing her, she also seemed to be waiting for the question she knew was about to pop up.

"I'll explain" nodded Blake as she held up her hand, not even waiting for Yang to ask. The latter nodded once and listened. "I knew Junior was an information broker from Neptune, from that time you took him to visit him at the club. I guessed the White Fang would go to him because of what he is so I met up with him before they managed to. We set up the deal to exchange information about me for dust. Only the information was always going to be short-handed. Just enough for the White Fang to find clues we'd leave behind for them to believe they were right on my trail. Junior kept getting dust and I got to stay out of the White Fang's way while knowing where they were and where they were going all the time. If I didn't make the deal he probably would've found out where I was and told them exactly where to find me in return for as much dust as he could ask for. Plus... having an information broker on your side was useful to know what was going on in the city. It was a mutually beneficial deal and it kept me alive and made him richer by the day. And honestly, he held up his side of the bargain" finished Blake with a soft sigh, biting into the last piece of her sandwich.

"So he did know where you were..." muttered Yang to herself as she recalled re-visiting Junior when she arrived in Vale.

"I... kind of didn't want you knowing where I was either so..." admitted Blake in shame.

Yang smiled reassuringly at the Faunus, "Don't sweat it. I know you had your reasons" she replied as her scroll vibrated, the address from Junior having being sent to her as she glanced at it.

Blake looked to the scroll with intrigue. "Suppose he didn't have one for Adam too?" she asked.

"Sorry Blake, Winter said not even she can get anything out of the White Fang they arrested at the warehouse today. At least, not yet." answered Yang apologetically.

"It's fine. It's going to be a lot tougher to find him now that Junior is behind bars anyway. Without him I don't know where the rest of the White Fang are operating" replied Blake as she pushed back her chair, standing up to her feet.

Yang pocketed her scroll before taking a final bite of her hamburger and standing up. "So... Straight to Neo? Should we like... call Winter first maybe?" asked Yang, she looked unsure.

"The two of us should be enough" replied Blake, though once more her voice dipped at the mention of Winter as her gaze flicked to the ground. "Lead on?" she asked. Yang nodded in response as the two would begin on their way to what was believed to be Neo's apartment.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Blake's head peered around the corner, further down the street she spotted their destination. The building the address from Junior led to appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary. Her golden gaze squinted as she remained cautious. Night had sunk in and made Blake especially hard to spot in the dark. Behind her around the corner Yang waited, making sure nobody was following behind. "Which floor is it?" asked Blake as she continued to scan the building with her eyes.

Yang opened up her scroll to double-check the address. "Uh... fourth" she replied as she looked back to Blake.

After a short while the Faunus replied, "Some of the lights on that floor are on but I don't see anyone..." she answered, turning away from the corner to lean against the wall besides Yang. "So are you actually going to...?" questioned Blake with uncertainty.

"What... kill her?" asked Yang in response, even she seemed uneasy about the idea. There was a line she felt they couldn't cross whenever she thought about it, but Neo had more than earned her fate. Or so she kept telling herself.

"It's... It's murder, Yang" replied Blake with a grimace, she clearly wasn't fond of the idea.

"Don't call it that..." answered Yang hesitantly, once more glancing around her surroundings. "Didn't you say you were going to do the same to Adam?" she asked, returning her attention to the Faunus besides her.

She shook her head sceptically. "That's not the same, I mean- I..." She took a breath. "This is a lot more difficult when you actually talk about it... isn't it?" she answered, idly turning to peer behind the corner towards the apartment once more.

"Did you like... kill anyone when you were with the White Fang?" asked Yang, taking care to make sure her voice was lowered.

Blake once more shook her head, "No... Every time I got close someone else did it for me. I guess I was just lucky like that" she answered.

After further silence Yang pushed herself from the wall, "Is it clear?" she asked, not wanting to discuss the topic any further.

"Yeah..." Blake confirmed reluctantly. She felt Yang's hand pat her upon the shoulder, reassuring her only a little. What they were planning to do plagued her mind. As Yang passed by her she followed after.

* * *

They entered the front lobby of the building, the receptionist appeared to be an old man, fast asleep at his desk. It only worked in their favour as the two agreed to cross the lobby in silence, heading for the stairs. The floors were all carpeted which made their footsteps near impossible to hear as they tread softly. The complex itself seemed more expensive than your average one, the walls were neatly decorated with fancy wallpaper and framed pictures. The lights hung from the walls and worked better as nice ornaments than their actual intended function. Yang paused as they reached the fourth floor as she checked her scroll. The room number they were looking for was 4-10.

Silently the two continued, passing each door and looking to the numbers as they drew nearer. When they were closer to their destination they readied their weapons and finally they found themselves at the tenth door. They exchanged glances before Blake leaned in towards the door, turning her head to listen for anyone on the other side. No sound came from inside the room. The Faunus reached her hand towards the handle as Yang readied her fist, she was prepared to attack anyone through the door. But to their surprise Blake found she could simply push it open, it wasn't even locked.

The door made no sound as it opened fully. They beheld a vibrant room of pink and white, the decorations intricate and almost historic in a sense. For the most part it seemed empty and so the two doubtfully entered the room, Blake warily closing the door behind herself. The room appeared separated into three parts. One being the bathroom on their left, the kitchen to their right and straight ahead was the bedroom. The two peered through each doorway to once more find nothing. The apartment smelt of vanilla as they continued to search. Yang entered the bedroom while Blake investigated the kitchen.

Within the bedroom she could see what was likely Neo's bed, a large one that took up most of the floor. There was a wardrobe upon her left and ahead to her right was a cabinet filled with old porcelain dolls. In front of the cabinet was a finely crafted and small wooden table. Resting upon the table was a decorative tea set that sat on a doily. There were two chairs at the table and an empty cup upon a plate in front of both. Yang wondered if Neo was expecting guests. The thought that she might be watching them right now passed through her mind and just to be sure she spun herself to look towards the entrance. It was empty.

As she continued to snoop around the room she found a small box upon a pedestal besides the bedroom doorway she had entered. It looked old and worn, coloured pink and white like most furniture within the room. The object looked like it had been the subject of some abuse but other than that it seemed meaningless. Keen to discover more she turned to the closet and opened one of its doors. Inside was a strange set of costumes. One was black with white thrills, almost like a maid's outfit. Another appeared to be an Atlesian military uniform. There was even a nurse's outfit. Either Neo was in some way a collector or really just enjoyed playing dress up.

A click at the door to the apartment. Yang's heart skipped a beat and her first instinct was to enter the closet and close the door behind her. She couldn't see Blake who had entered the kitchen and only hoped that she had taken a similar course of action. She heard the door slam shut as footsteps came towards her, it could surely only be one person. Her fears were confirmed as through the crack between the closet doors she saw her.

The first thing she noticed was that Neo seemed restless, she was panting heavily. As soon as she had entered the bedroom she reached for the box on the pedestal. Flicking it open she grabbed at a small crank inside, quickly twisting it and placing it back down. A soft melody began to play as the short woman dropped her umbrella to the floor and briskly walked over to the table with the tea set. She sat herself down with her back turned to the closet.

Neo's panting began to steady as she reached a shaky hand out to the teapot, grasping it by the thin handle as she began to pour herself a cup of the tea. She set the pot back down before pulling the plate and cup towards herself. She shuddered heavily before lifting the cup to her lips and taking a large gulp, afterwards she breathed out a long and silent sigh as she rested the cup back upon the plate, seeming more relaxed now as the melody continued. At least if her body language was anything to go by.

This look into her private life gave Yang an entirely new perspective upon the girl who had done nothing but beat her up and humiliate her. She mostly wondered what could coax such a reaction from Neo for her to be like this. Continuing to observe she saw her pull out her scroll from one of the pockets upon her jacket. She placed it down flat on the table while sipping from her tea as her other hand began to swipe across its screen. She halted before her shoulders seemed to lower in an almost sulky manner. Whatever she was looking upon seemed to disappoint her. Shortly after she started tapping her slender index finger against the screen and in sudden shock and realization Yang pulled out her own scroll, moving through its settings with haste.

Just as she set the option she received a message, and of course it was sent by Neo who was just in front of her with her back turned. Thanks to her quick thinking the vibration feature of the scroll had been disabled. The message simply read "(~_^)". It appeared to have become her usual greeting for Yang whenever she did send her a message. Yang looked back to Neo who appeared to be just sitting there, staring at her scroll. For several seconds Yang watched her do absolutely nothing else other than sip her tea. Was this what she did every time she messaged Yang?

Out of curiosity Yang tapped out a reply as quietly as she could manage, the message returned nothing but a question mark. As soon as Neo's scroll vibrated her fingers snapped back to it. She peered at the message and starting tapping with haste against the screen again. Another message popped up on Yang's scroll reading "\ (•◡•) /". She looked back to Neo and just as before she had her head locked towards her scroll patiently.

Deciding to reply quickly Yang typed out a longer message. "wat do u want?" she sent. She hoped that Blake wouldn't assume the worst considering she likely had no idea what was going on from the other room.

Neo took her scroll into both hands as she held it up to her face, seemingly growing more eager as she tapped out yet another response, she even appeared to be swaying left and right slightly in her chair. The third message showed up on Yang's scroll, "( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)". It was an expression she had never seen before and so its meaning was lost to her. Unable to think a response to it she decided to put her scroll away and wait for her chance, watching the girl again.

For minutes Neo simply stared at her scroll. As each minute went by her arms seemed to lower the scroll more towards the table. Eventually it was back upon it entirely as one of her hands slowly turned to grab her cup, finishing off her tea but promptly pouring herself a second. After finally guessing she wasn't going to receive another response from Yang through her scroll she looked to the chair across from her, her head slowly inclining and remaining so. The melody started to stutter as it drew closer towards the end of its tune.

Yang couldn't keep hiding like this, she came here to do something and she had the perfect chance. Crushing her eyes shut Yang envisioned the times Neo had made a complete fool of her. It didn't take long for her to remember why she wanted to do what she came to do. Her attack had to be quick. Quick enough to collide into the woman before she gets a chance to react. With this in mind Yang silently moved her right leg with Celica upon her ankle to rest against the back of the closet wall. She would launch herself out with a blast and slam into Neo with Ember. Her eyes blinked into red and she clenched her jaw with the memories of humiliation. It was time for Neo to take a hit.

Neo placed her cup back onto the plate with the quiet clink of porcelain, she sat before her audience of dolls in the cabinet behind the empty chair in front of her. The box stopped its melody as Neo idly turned her head towards it, a frown clear on her face. But it was too late to notice the expression before Celica had fired. Yang launched from the closet, Ember prepared and ready as it came colliding towards Neo. The smaller girl hadn't even time to look surprised, not even a second to turn her eyes towards Yang. It happened too fast.

Ember collided into the back of Neo. Her mouth had started to open in silent pain as her eyes grew wider and turned white. A sickening crunch resounded within her body. A flash of pink as her aura completely collapsed from the single attack. The table splintered, the tea set cracked. Her body crashed against the wooden structure as it broke apart, accompanied with fragments of porcelain and splashes of tea. The frail girl smashed through the entire thing as she collided into the glass cabinet, utterly destroying the dolls within. Her face a frozen expression of shock.

Yang stood with Ember still forward, frozen in her own position as she watched Neo fall against the floor in front of the shattered remains of the personal possessions that seemed to comfort her. Her body shuddered violently as she steadily started to curl up on her side amongst the splinters, the glass and the porcelain. Her mouth was agape, the tears running down her cheeks as she cried out in silence. Unable to voice even her agony.

Blake came sprinting into the room after the crash to find the scene, stopping in her tracks as she watched Yang stare at Neo in disbelief. Yang expected a fight but what she did only seemed to leave her feeling rotten to the core. It came to her understanding that Neo must have become so skilfully evasive because she was so frail. Her aura had shattered upon a single attack and allowed her to be damaged.

She kept staring at the shorter girl, taking a step back as she shut her eyes tightly, avoiding the sight of Neo's tears still gushing out. To say she was in pain was surely an understatement. Blake gave Yang an expression that seemed similar to fear, but not for what had happened, it was fear directed at Yang and what she was capable of.

Slowly the blonde woman lowered her fist. She couldn't move herself, she couldn't look away. She came here with the intent to kill Neo... But after seeing her now... After seeing what it looked like to let those intentions come to fruition. She knew she should hate the girl but a part of herself was simply too good, too pure of a person, to allow herself to commit such acts.

"Y- Yang..." stuttered Blake as she looked back to Neo upon the ground.

Yang shut her eyes as tight as she could, forcing herself to turn her head away. She felt the guilt crawling across her skin. She couldn't take it. She hated it. She opened her eyes only to guide herself as she ran for the exit of the room, avoiding Blake completely as she ran for the door.

"Yang!" yelled Blake as she went to chase her, she halted at the exit and turned to look back at Neo. The smaller woman had opened one stark white eye to look back at her, her entire body still shaking. A part of Blake didn't want to leave due to the simple fact that Neo couldn't call for help. She shook her head to herself before aiming Gambol Shroud at the ceiling. She fired three loud shots, loud enough for the entire apartment complex to hear before she started running. That would be her mercy to Neo, surely someone else would come to her aid as she ran to chase Yang who had already vanished from sight.

* * *

She dropped to her knees within a quiet part of the street, her hand pressed to her face as she began to sulk. Violence had only ever upset her when she was young and in training, her first few real fights often caused her to feel depressed afterwards as if regretting the harm she caused. Since that time she had grown used to battle. But within that room... That was something else entirely. Something that caused her to feel that depression once more. She didn't want whatever that was to become what was normal for her. She couldn't inflict that kind of harm upon someone. As much as she enjoyed fighting it dawned on her that there were thresholds not even she was willing to pass.

And the look Blake had given her. That fear. That wasn't what she wanted to become. She didn't want her friends to ever have to look at her like that. Her blood boiled with her depression, she hated revealing such personal emotions and in an attempt to stop herself she raised her clenched her fist and slammed it into the ground. The impact made a crack in the concrete but it didn't stop the tears as she brought her hand back to her face afterwards.

Arms clasped tightly around her from behind as she felt someone fall against her. "It... It wasn't you..." came Blake's soft voice besides her ear, her embrace around her tightened.

"I can't..." sobbed Yang, leaning back against her friend. "I- I'm so sorry... I-... I-" she stuttered before dropping into silence again.

Blake leaned her head against Yang's. "It's okay... It wasn't your fault you just... It won't happen again..." replied the Faunus, she wanted to comfort Yang but the right words simply refused to come to her. Blake continued to cradle Yang in her arms, she wouldn't leave her like this. The two of them promised to do everything together now, and no matter what Yang turned into Blake would be there by her side. Such was their friendship.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_

 _Let me start by saying that I am not one for interrupting a story with AN's, it's just not my jam. But I felt that I should take at least one chance to speak to those who read, favourite, follow and review my content. Otherwise I fear I may come across as cold or uncaring towards the readers (I'm really not)._

 _So I'd like to thank you. From those who are actively reading and following, those leaving kind reviews that honestly brighten my day to find after coming home from work, and even to those who took the chance to read one paragraph and decided it wasn't their thing. If it's not immediately apparent let me state that this is my first piece of fanfic and to see such positive feedback is just, well, pretty great no matter how little or often it becomes. So this is my thanks to you._

 _Other than that I'll politely state that you should hopefully not expect to see any further AN's on this fic. The only time I'll make additional ones is if a large number of people are asking the same questions or if something that directly impacts the story needs to be addressed, like a hiatus or continuation under another title (Not that I've plans for either yet)._

 _And just out of courtesy. Chapters will generally come out between a time-span of one or three days after the last._

 _If you're still reading, please enjoy the rest of the story. You're here for that, not AN's._

\- _2101817_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The evening had rolled around, the sky was tinted with orange and the sun setting somewhere over the tall buildings. The few people she saw were making their home now that the day was coming to an end. There had been reports of more Grimm attacking the borders on the east side of the city, the side closest to Beacon. The recent violence that had occurred throughout some parts of the city had not gone unnoticed. She kept walking on the pavement, passing one shop after another having just come from the commercial district of Vale. In one hand she had a small bag of groceries. In the other her scroll as she idly flicked through to check her messages. Upon seeing none she paused and looked to her left at one of the now closed stores. This one in particular was a book store that had closed permanently some time ago. In the dark reflection of the display window she saw her golden eyes looking back at her, her bow twitched.

Glancing back at her scroll she typed out a message, "Anything you want while I'm still out here?" it read before she sent it. It took a few seconds for the response to come, "nope". The Faunus frowned before turning her attention down to the street as she resumed her trip home. Or at least what she now referred to as home.

It had been three days since they went to Neo's apartment. Yang never remained depressed for very long but since then she didn't seem to know what to do next and so had spent most of her time doing nothing at all. Blake of course had remained by her side, how could she not? Yang meant a lot to her and while she did want her to break out of this lazy mood she ended up in... She didn't mind. She got to spend a lot more time with her this way and while she knew it was very selfish of her she was happy with it regardless.

Her scroll started to ring as she looked to the caller, it was Winter. After answering it she placed it up to her ear. "Hello?" she greeted in a questioning manner, as if she didn't know who the caller was.

"Miss Belladonna, I hope this is not a bad time" came Winter's voice from the other end. Blake had half a mind to tell her to call back later but thought against it.

"No, what is it?" asked the Faunus in response, deftly stepping around someone who wasn't watching where they were walking on the pavement.

"Yang has not been answering her scroll so I thought it best to contact you instead. This is of course in regards to your... recent escapade..." answered Winter.

Blake looked bitter as she replied, "Is that what we're calling it now?" she asked.

"I call it how I see it. For all intents and purposes I should arrest you both for breaking and entering as well as destruction of private property and conspiracy to murder. Enemy or not, there are laws Miss Belladonna, though I imagine with your history you struggle with that concept" came Winter's harsh response.

The Faunus almost growled as she spoke in return, "Yang came to you in confidence-!" she paused for a moment. The Faunus often picked up on things that Yang rarely could, and in this case it was the lack of something. "Wait, what about assault?" she asked, her expression softening to a more neutral one.

"If Yang answered her calls you would have both been made aware of this sooner. Neopolitan was not present in her apartment when my men arrived at the scene" she answered.

Blake stopped walking, her head turning from left to right as her golden eyes observed her surroundings. Nobody else was within hearing range of her as she spoke back into the scroll. "That can't be right. She was incapacitated, she could barely even move" she answered as concern raised in her voice.

"Then it appears our problems are still problems" stated Winter coldly. "What is Yang doing?" she asked.

Blake still had the thoughts of Neo being somewhere out there right now in her head as she replied, "Uh- Nothing..." she answered truthfully.

A pause came from Winter's end of the call before her voice returned. "Right, I am on my way over" she answered.

"W- Wait what? No, you can't" began Blake. There were many reasons she didn't want Winter anywhere near herself or Yang.

"Why not?" came the expected response.

"We're busy tonight" answered Blake, simply trying to find any excuse she could to keep the woman from visiting them both.

Another pause came from Winter. "I thought you said Yang was doing nothing?" she asked.

Blake cursed herself silently, she tapped her foot against the ground as she quickly tried to return a response. "She's just not... She's not up for seeing anyone right now" she answered.

"I am not just anyone Miss Belladonna. And not only do I wish to help you both out of this mess because my job is on the line, but also because Yang made me a promise that I will expect her to deliver upon" came the reply.

With an irritated expression the Faunus responded, "Tomorrow would be a much better time, for both of us" she answered, it was her last effort to try and avoid Winter tonight.

A sigh came through the scroll as Winter's voice seemed to have calmed significantly. "Fine. Tomorrow morning" she answered.

"Thank you Winter" said Blake as she started walking alongside the pavement once more.

"And Miss Belladonna, seeing as I now have your attention and that this is apparently not a bad time as you mentioned earlier on... How about coming down to my office for that talk?" asked Winter.

Blake clearly detested the idea of the so-called talk. "I'm sorry, I have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow?" replied Blake, looking to her scroll as she moved it away from her ear.

"Blake do not hang up on me-!" raised Winter's voice before the call ended abruptly. The Faunus was sure that she would hear more of this tomorrow but for now she had other things to concern herself with.

As she continued on her trip home the idea that Neo could be looking for revenge worried her. After what Yang did to her she wouldn't be surprised to find her doing everything in her power to get back at them. For the rest of her walk she remained on high alert due to this new information.

* * *

The Faunus closed the door of Yang's room behind her. As usual the place was dimly lit thanks to the fabric covering the window. And just where she left her there Yang was, laying down in bed in her tanktop and shorts as she watched the poor-quality TV at the foot of the bed. She looked bored.

"Winter called" spoke Blake as she put down her shopping next to the door and making her way towards the bed as she removed her white coat.

Yang kept her eyes to the TV, she didn't seem to care about all the static in the volume and on the screen itself. "Yeah? What did she want?" she asked in response.

"She called up to say she's coming over tomorrow. She wants to talk since you keep ignoring her calls" answered Blake, she purposefully avoided the topic of Neo as she believed it could only ruin Yang's day to know she was still out there. Blake was unwilling to upset her friend for as long as she could manage it.

The blonde idly turned her head to spot her scroll at her side, the missed calls were definitely on the screen. "Huh, didn't notice" she responded in a dull tone before looking back to the TV.

Blake removed her boots before making her way towards the bed, choosing to lay beside Yang as they both watched the screen. After a few minutes the Faunus turned to look at the human. "Hey, should we do something tomorrow after Winter visits?" she asked to which lazy lilac eyes looked to her. Ever since their reunion the smallest things made Blake's chest tighten. At first she wasn't sure but for a few days now she had a good idea why it was happening.

"Like what?" asked Yang idly.

"Maybe... take a walk to the park? Or come shopping with me?" asked Blake, she felt slightly nervous from even asking her friend these things. She watched with her hopeful golden gaze as Yang looked to the ceiling in a pondering fashion.

"Do I have to?" asked Yang casually while looking back to Blake. The words stung the Faunus more than she'd like to admit. So much so that she hadn't realised the long pause she was creating as her eyes drifted away from the blonde. It finally looked although it clicked in Yang's head as she opened her eyes properly, reaching out her hand for Blake's shoulder. "Wait, I didn't mean it like that" she spoke apologetically.

Blake offered the woman a weak smile as she turned her attention back to her, "It's okay if you'd rather stay here. I was just suggesting ideas, that's all" answered Blake. Though her own words were a lie. She had wanted to spend more time with Yang, but rather than just sitting in their room together she wanted to actually do something with her. Of course she refused to call it what it actually was.

However, Blake's unintentional display of disappointment had won over Yang's guilt. "No, you're right Blake. We should be out there having fun. I can't spend all my time in a bed again" she answered.

At first the Faunus wasn't sure how to react. She was aware on what grounds Yang had decided to say yes and that alone should have prompted her to decline. But the heat that rushed through her body, the thoughts of how their day could be spent together. It hit her like a truck and she nodded. "Yeah, it sounds fun" she smiled, though a part of her regretted taking advantage of her friend in this fashion. It almost felt like she had tricked her into it.

Honestly Blake felt like she already had plenty to be happy about. She already had the chance to spend so much time with Yang, she got to share her apartment and even her bed. The latter of which usually sent her heart racing. There was no doubt that she had a crush on the woman but wondered if that was all it was. It might simply just be the fact they were together again after so long apart. The relief after thinking Yang wanted nothing to do with her after she ran, only to find she simply missed her. It was these things that played hell with her feelings and she'd never be sure if Yang had the same ones. So the Faunus decided to keep them to herself until she could see that Yang felt the same way or if her fondness for the blonde would simply wane away.

"Straight after Winter leaves then?" came Yang's voice as she offered Blake a friendly smile, leaning her shoulder against hers.

Blake offered another nod, she had hoped the dim lighting would cover the soft blush that had crossed her cheeks. She turned back to the TV as the two continued to silently watch, of all things, a cooking show. "What is this anyway?" asked Blake as she kept watching.

Yang adjusted herself slightly before resting her head against Blake's shoulder. "It's the only channel that works" replied Yang. The chef upon the TV started preparing some fish, Blake suddenly didn't mind what it was they were watching. "Really?" came Yang's voice again to which Blake looked down at her with a confused expression. "It caught your attention after the fish came on?" she asked with a soft chuckle.

Blake smirked, "I guess" she replied awkwardly, Yang couldn't be more wrong as to the reason the Faunus was suddenly content.

"Is that why your heart is beating fast too?" asked Yang once more.

"I can't help it" answered Blake truthfully this time but once more not for the reason Yang believed.

* * *

The light from outside was now completely gone. The only thing that lit the room up was the flickering screen of the TV. Blake had since switched into some more appropriate clothes for sleeping, that simply being her grey shirt and underwear. Yang had fallen asleep a while ago and now lay with her head resting in the lap of the Faunus who was sat up in the bed with her back against the wall.

Blake had continued to watch the cooking shows. She didn't want to fall asleep yet, if she did she couldn't be in the position she was as she looked down at Yang. A warm smile crossed Blake's lips as she gently stroked a hand through her golden hair. This feeling of pure and complete bliss. She didn't want it go away.

For a lack of other things to do she reached her other hand for Yang's scroll, picking the device up and opening it. She didn't think about it at the time as she started looking through her messages idly. Though it seemed only one person had been in contact with her recently. She narrowed her eyes at the sender of these messages, Neopolitan. Further looking through them she could see the texts that Neo had sent to Yang, at first it looked although she was just trying to get a rise out of the blonde but eventually Blake saw further into the messages than Yang could manage herself.

At this the Faunus clenched her jaw as her expression turned sour. She moved her other hand away from Yang as she picked up her own scroll, copying Neo's number from one device to the other. After having done so she placed Yang's back where she found it and turned her attention to the one in her hand. Before she could even begin typing out a message she stopped as she considered the effects this might have in the future. Was she giving away the fact she knew Neo had escaped? If Neo was under the belief they thought she was in jail it could prove to be an advantage for them. Thinking further, sending Neo a message could prompt her to send one to Yang which would be the last thing they need right now. Not only that but if she forwarded Blake's messages to Yang it could possibly become even worse, then Yang would know that Blake had deceived her.

After thinking these possibilities through she slowly lowered her scroll and closed it. The best course of action right now was patience. Looking back to the TV she saw a man bringing a pair of scissors towards a crab. She cringed and changed the channel only to end up with static. With so little to do now she imagined she'd have to get some rest soon. Looking back down at Yang she smiled again and just as she was about to regretfully move her from her lap she stopped and looked to Yang's scroll as it vibrated. Somebody was calling her. Leaning over she picked up the scroll to find that it was an unknown caller. Thinking nothing of it she put the scroll back down and let it ring until it stopped.

A few seconds after it did and Blake's own scroll starting ringing too. It was the same number. She looked at her scroll in confusion. The chances that someone would have obtained both of their numbers seemed slim, meaning this could actually be somebody they both knew. After a brief consideration she answered her scroll and placed it up to her ear. Nothing but silence came from the other end.

"Hello?" asked Blake. She was met with even more silence. It seemed like something out of a bad horror movie. "Hello, who is this?" asked Blake again. The woman in her lap stirred and groaned.

"Blake...? It's late... who are you talking to...?" asked Yang, she didn't seem fully awake.

The unknown caller hung up. Determined to find out their identity Blake rang them back, quickly it became obvious that whoever had called had turned off their scroll. Had she made a mistake in answering? She wondered if it could be Neo, it would make sense but they both had her number already. Adam perhaps? No, he wasn't the type to ring you in the middle of the night in some vain attempt to seem intimidating.

"Blake...?" stirred Yang once more, placing her hand against Blake's smooth thigh to push herself up slightly. The touch itself made the Faunus forget everything about the caller as she blushed and her eyes widened slightly.

"S- Sorry, wrong number" stuttered Blake as she watched Yang look up at her with those enchanting lilac eyes.

"Oh...?" muttered Yang. She mumbled something inaudible before she rested her head back down upon Blake's lap, facing her this time rather than the TV.

The Faunus was worried to move in case she woke her friend once more but she was fine with the position they were in. She started smiling again and looked back up to the static of the TV. At this rate she thought that she would not fall asleep at all, not with Yang's hand still on her thigh like it was. It continuously sent shivers up her spine whenever she felt her fingers twitch in her sleep. Though of course eventually exhaustion would take over, with some minutes later the eyes of the Faunus felt heavy. She slept very awkwardly that night.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The sound of knocking at the door had awakened Blake from her sleep as she opened her golden eyes. She couldn't see anything but was sure that it was morning already. The person at the door, it could only be Winter knocking at this time like she said she would. When she tried to move she could feel that her neck was stiff, she expected as much considering how she had fallen asleep. She could also feel that one of her arms was around Yang's waist but as she tried to move herself again she found she couldn't. It came to her attention that the blonde had her in some sort of headlock for some reason. Yang's arm was tight around her neck and so she moved her hand to try and pry herself free. As usual she didn't mind it but she had to answer the door quickly, otherwise she'd have stayed.

After freeing herself she pulled at the quilt. Somehow she had ended up under it as she slept. She saw Yang as her eyes adjusted to the light, she was still fast asleep despite the knocking at the door, of which several more came followed by Winter's voice, "It is five minutes past eight in the morning, how are you two not awake!?" she yelled.

Blake rubbed her eyes before crawling over the bed towards the side of the room that had the door on it. She stepped up off the bed and made her way towards it. Standing in front of the door she removed the chain lock and pulled it open. Stood there was Winter, arms crossed as if she had been waiting longer than necessary. "Sorry" muttered Blake as she kept rubbing her eyes, stepping aside for the woman to enter. She didn't seem to care that the Faunus was wearing so little.

Winter strode into the room and came to a halt before the bed, glaring down at Yang as she slept. Blake shut the door before following after, she leaned forward to nudge the sleeping woman's shoulder in an attempt to wake her up. And she did. Lilac eyes glanced around before looking to Blake. Yang smirked at her in a friendly manner before her eyes caught notice of Winter. Her expression seemed to waver at that point.

"Enjoy your break?" asked Winter in a stern tone, her icy glare not leaving Yang..

"Uhh..." was all that came from Yang's lips.

With a sigh Winter shook her head, "Never mind. I have some news" she answered. To this Blake looked to her, her golden eyes widening slightly as she came to a realization. She hadn't told Yang about Neo and it was likely that Winter would and should that happen Yang would know that Blake kept it from her.

In a quick attempt to avoid such a scenario the Faunus spoke out, "Can you let us change first?" she asked.

Winter looked to Blake with an uncertain expression, "Why? Is you being fully clothed more important than what I have to say?" she asked.

Blake had to keep thinking up quick answers so that the conversation seemed natural. "I just feel a little uncomfortable" she replied as her eyes turned away in feigned embarrassment.

Once more the woman simply stared her down. "I am a professional, Miss Belladonna" she stated, her eyes didn't leave her face as if trying to prove a point.

"Pfft, come on Winter, Blakey is just shy. She can't talk to strangers in her underwear" came Yang's voice to which Blake was very thankful to hear. Even now she had her back.

Winter looked to Yang and paused as she closed her eyes, "It concerns me that you just implied that you can" she answered before turning around. "I will be waiting outside, be quick about it" she added as she made her way back to the door, leaving the room.

As soon as the woman had left Blake took out her scroll and started typing out a message as fast as she could. The message read, "I didn't tell her about Neo yet. Please don't mention it". After having sent it to Winter who was just outside the door she turned to getting dressed. Yang on the other hand seemed to be taking her time with it, wherever due to her still being in a lazy mood or simply because of her having one arm was unclear.

Before they were even finished changing Winter had re-entered the room, her eyes narrowing at Blake who caught the stare. "Yang, Blake" spoke the woman as she turned back to the two, kicking the door behind her shut.

"Hey, we're not ready" mentioned Yang, the woman ignored her.

"I thought you would be quicker. I gave you time, now let me make my statement" she began, her voice seeming more cold than usual. Blake looked worried, would Winter really tell Yang about Neo? And no doubt Yang's trust in Blake would waver as a result. "I came to inform you both personally that Neo was not at her apartment. She escaped" answered the woman.

Blake was shocked that Winter would lie on her behalf, or perhaps she was simply doing it for Yang's sake. Causing mistrust between the two girls would only damage their efficiency in the long run and Winter had no reason to want that. She caught another look from her, the Faunus knew she would owe her a favour for this.

But one person wasn't taking the information too well. Yang looked furious. "What? Can't your men do anything right!?" she lashed, her eyes blinking into red as her anger raised.

In times like these Blake would try to calm Yang down, usually in the same manner that you would try to calm anything with a wild temper. Show it your palms, give it some space and in this case, simply talk to them. But Blake had yet to attempt any such actions as Winter's approach was drastically different from her own. The Faunus was almost inspired by her in fact.

Winter had taken a step towards Yang, eyes piercing her as her brow furrowed. "Perhaps if would stop rushing into things like I keep telling you not to, I would not have to clean up the mess you keep leaving behind whenever you get a "good" idea!" yelled Winter in return, her voice raising as she scolded Yang harshly. The latter even taking a step back at the display. "Did you not even think to call me!? Did any thought pass through that skull of yours before you decided to not only endanger yourself and your friend, but break the law and throw aside any good chance for a successful ambush in the future!?" finished Winter. Blake didn't think it was possible for her to become more intimidating than she already was, she definitely exuded power.

Yang's eyes had returned to lilac and she looked away from Winter with an annoyed expression. Blake wanted to comfort her but in a moment like this Yang had to stand on her own, especially in front of someone like Winter. Winter eventually sighed to herself after having seen that Yang wasn't going to snap back at her. Her expression softened. "We still have work to do and blaming me for Neo's escape will accomplish nothing, so let us do something that will" she spoke, her voice more calm now.

"Like what? Track her down?" asked Yang as her sour expression persisted, it was as if she didn't want to give up so easily.

"No, we have a greater objective" replied Winter. "We need to destroy, cripple or push out the White Fang. We need to free Vale from their grip. And when I say we I mean the Atlesian Military" she said, shifting a glance at Blake, "But I believe that we have a mutual interest regarding them" she added.

Yang finally finished dressing herself properly as she looked out the window of the room. "So we're just letting Neo run around?" she asked.

Winter's eyes snapped to Yang, "This is bigger than your squabble with her right now. Neo seems only concerned with you, she has yet to become a danger to the city itself, something the White Fang managed" she answered.

"Weren't we going to find Weiss?" came Blake's voice as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"As much as I would like to... my superiors requested that I remain in Vale until matters here are resolved" said Winter in a regretful fashion. She in turn quickly snapped herself out of it as she continued on, "So, have either of you learnt anything?" she asked.

Blake pondered. All the two had really done was sit around. Something came to her though as she reached for her scroll which caught Winter and Yang's attention. The Faunus swiped through some screens before holding her scroll out to face Winter. "This number called myself and Yang last night. I answered it but there wasn't a response" said Blake.

Winter narrowed her eyes at the scroll, it didn't take long for something to become evident to her as her eyes looked up to Blake. "The number is from Atlas, that much is clear. This excludes our resident mute" she answered.

Turning her scroll back to herself Blake looked at the number. "I said hello and asked who it was, but there was nothing. Can you track-" the Faunus paused. She was smarter than this. An Atlesian number, who did both her and Yang know from Atlas? "...Weiss?" answered Blake softly as she looked at her scroll.

From Winter's expression it seemed she already knew who it was the second she saw where the call was made from. "Very likely..." spoke the woman.

"Wait, Weiss called? Why don't we just call her back then?" asked Yang, climbing over the bed towards the two.

"I tried last night. No one picked up" replied Blake to Yang. "But if it was her, why didn't she say anything?" asked the Faunus as she looked to Winter for answers.

Winter turned her head as she spoke, "I will not regale you with tales of me and my sister's upbringing but..." she looked back to the two. "You do not know our father. I am almost certain that Weiss is not allowed to contact anyone outside of Atlas. She must have found a way somehow but kept quiet out of fear of being discovered. Perhaps she... simply wanted to hear that you were okay. Both of you" spoke Winter, for a brief moment a frown appearing upon her face.

Yang peered at the woman, "Did she call you too then?" she asked. Blake looked to Yang, shaking her head at her as she tried to warn her not to ask, but it was too late. Yang realized this as Winter stared back at her with a blank look.

"I will be in touch regarding the White Fang" responded the woman as she turned. Yang looked as though she was about to call after her but once again Blake gave her a silent warning not to. With that Winter left the apartment.

"I... messed up right?" asked Yang as she looked to Blake with an apologetic expression.

The Faunus sighed at her, "Just a bit" she answered.

* * *

The park was always a quiet place but with the hive of Grimm that is Beacon there simply wasn't anyone else around now. Besides her walked Yang who despite learning that Neo was still at large had heightened spirits now that she was out of her apartment. She caught Blake staring at her and offered a bright smile to which the Faunus smirked before turning her attention elsewhere, not wanting to be so blatantly staring back. "You know I think I actually needed this" admitted Yang as she bumped her shoulder against Blake's, causing her to stumble slightly.

"I'm glad. I wasn't sure how much longer you could have stayed in that bed for" replied Blake as she continued to smile, looking to the ground as she walked.

"My record is pretty hard to beat" chuckled Yang. They continued to walk in silence for a few seconds as they enjoyed one another's company. "Do you think Winter is gonna be okay?" asked the blonde.

Blake offered a nod in response as she looked up at Yang. "She's a big girl. You could have used a little more tact though" she answered.

"Yeah. Suppose" sighed Yang to herself, the path they were now walking upon entered a slightly wooded area of the park which provided shade from the sun. "Still, poor Weiss. Her dad sounds like a complete control freak"

"We won't leave her there, not if we can help it. And when we have her we can look for Ruby. We'll be a team again" said Blake as she smiled to Yang. When she smiled back with those lilac eyes she felt her chest tighten once more. She looked away to contain her emotions as the two kept walking.

Yang peered at the Faunus searchingly, "Blakey, everything okay?" she asked.

Blake's walking pace seemed to quicken slightly, as if she was trying to run away from such questions. Yang easily kept speed with her however. "Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" she asked in reply.

"Dunno, you just seem a little weird lately. Keep making me think I've got something on my face" answered Yang.

The Faunus shook her head in refusal, quickly enough that her long black hair swayed back and forth. "No, that's not it. It's just..." she paused and stopped in her tracks. Her thoughts were rushing with suggestions of confession. Before anything could come to her mind she felt Yang grasp her right wrist. She looked up to the woman who just kept smiling at her.

"Come on, we can talk over here" she answered before pulling the Faunus along with her, receiving only minor complaints in return.

Blake was dragged towards one of the trees along the side of the path. Yang released her wrist and sat down against the trunk before patting the ground besides her. "You know it's really nothing" said Blake, attempting to worm her way out of the sure-to-be interrogation.

"Nope, sit down. Let's talk" persisted the blonde, once more patting the ground besides her. Awkwardly the Faunus agreed and sat down besides her friend, her back pressed against the trunk of the large tree. "So what's on your mind?" asked Yang as she looked to Blake.

Her heart was beating faster. She thought about telling her, she really did, but every time the words were about to escape her lips she started thinking of the responses she could receive. The rejections. The strange looks. It could completely ruin their friendship. But in the end she remembered what she had told herself to do, to wait and watch.

Blake looked to Yang. Her golden eyes meeting lilac as she paused. Opening her mouth she choked on her words and glanced away. Yang placed her hand upon her shoulder which prompted an audible response. "I... I just keep expecting you to turn around and despise me. I know we said we forgive each other for what happened after Beacon but..." lied Blake. She couldn't tell the truth, so instead she weaved something else with her words.

Yang frowned and moved her arm to wrap around Blake's back, pulling her against herself into a one-armed hug. "Blake that's silly. I'd never turn on you, not now. You need to trust me on that" she answered.

Blake wrapped her arms around Yang as she returned the embrace, squeezing tightly. She rested her head upon her shoulder. She hated that she had now caused Yang to believe she didn't trust in her but it seemed the easier option. "I know that... But I just keep thinking... what if, you know?" answered Blake.

"Then do what I do all the time and stop thinking you big dummy" responded Yang as her arm tightened around her briefly in a reassuring squeeze.

The Faunus chuckled softly at the joke, "So do this mean you're never leaving me?" she asked.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" laughed Yang which once more got a chuckling reaction from Blake. "Nah, don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. We're team buddies for life" she answered.

To this Blake was relieved. She understood Yang was probably over-exaggerating but it was comforting nonetheless. She didn't want to break the embrace but from the feeling of Yang's loosening arm around her she had to. Slowly she withdrew, her arms sliding to Yang's shoulders as she stared into her eyes. Their faces were so close and Yang's seemed so inviting. The Faunus had paused too long in consideration and silence as her friend raised a brow at her. To this Blake let go of her shoulders and turned her head to hide her blush. "Sorry, my mind really isn't working today" she said in excuse.

"I didn't mind, you've got really pretty eyes" answered Yang casually as she turned to lean comfortably against the tree once more, her arm behind her head.

"Y-You too" muttered Blake in her flustered moment, her response didn't even make much sense now that she thought on it as she cringed in hindsight.

"What was that?" asked Yang as she crossed her legs, looking up to the branches of the tree.

Blake awkwardly shuffled herself around before replying, "Nothing. Is anything up with you?" she asked, trying to change the topic as quickly as she could.

"Yeah, do you think Winter likes me? I think she does" asked Yang.

If the Faunus could slap herself in the face without gaining her friend's attention she could. In this moment she had never known a more dense person than Yang, to think that somebody who showed no interest liked her, while she had to sit besides her right now with her heart yearning. "Uhh..." began Blake, "I... don't think so? What would make you think she does?" she asked.

Yang shrugged her shoulders, "Well she lets me ride on her bike with her, she keeps sending me messages and calls, she visits when I don't pick up and doesn't care if I'm in my shorts. We even slept together once" answered the blonde.

"What!?" blurted Blake as she turned back to Yang, she was not expecting to hear something so lewd, nor was she expecting she'd raise her voice as a result.

"Oh, no no, not like that. We had our backs turned to each other and stuff" answered Yang hastily.

Blake took a deep controlled breath and breathed out. "I... I think the messages, the calls, the visits and everything else is called work" she answered.

Yang looked confused for a moment, "I don't work" she relied. Sometimes Blake wondered what exactly it was she saw in Yang. "Oh, you mean her, right, got it. Yeah that makes more sense actually" nodded Yang.

"You actually shared a bed with her though?" asked Blake.

"Yeah, but not like we do" replied Yang. At this point Blake was starting to theorize that Yang knew exactly how she felt and was only tormenting her for her own enjoyment.

But curiosity forever caught up with her. "Like we do?" she asked, looking away with a sly smirk.

Yang nodded once more, "Oh, yeah you wouldn't know. You're always asleep" replied Blake.

The Faunus had once more been caught off guard, this time she was confused as she looked back, "Wait what?" she asked.

Yang seemed to be considering telling the Faunus, eventually giving in. "Sometimes when you're asleep you bite me. Mostly my shoulder, you've got really sharp canines by the way" she answered. Blake appeared frozen at the words. "That's why I put you in a headlock. I guess I was lucky you didn't just bite my-"

"That's-! That's uh..." began Blake, cutting Yang off before her sentence got any further. Her blush was clear for all to see now and this time there was no hiding it.

Yang grinned and patted the Faunus upon the shoulder, "Hah, don't get embarrassed, you were asleep so you can't help it" she answered.

"...I can sleep on the floor if you want?" asked Blake, she really didn't want to but she felt she had to at least offer as some sort of apology.

"Pfft, nah, you're way too comfy to kick out the bed" laughed Yang.

Blake smiled softly at the response. She opened her mouth to make a reply when a thundering boom sounded out towards the east. Both of them stopped immediately and their expressions turned to confusion as they looked to where the sound had come from. Smoke was rising in the city. "What was that?" asked Blake as she stood up to her feet.

The sirens within the city started to sound. It was a siren the two had heard before. Yang pushed herself up to her feet as she stared out towards the smoke. "That alarm... that means..." she spoke.

Blake narrowed her eyes, "They must've got through but... how? I've seen those defences Yang, they're impossible for the Grimm to break through!" she said, looking to her friend.

"Not unless they had help again" replied Yang. "We need to go, Winter might need our help!" said the blonde before she started running into the direction of the smoke, Blake closely followed behind her. The plume of smoke billowed above the east side of the city ominously.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It was like the Battle of Beacon all over again. The closer they got towards the plume of smoke and the sound of fighting, the more people they saw fleeing. The fear they generated only meant more Grimm would be attracted to the city, it was a slippery slope and the only way they could stop it was to instil hope into the people, either by beating back the Grimm or by some other means.

As they drew nearer they could see the fighting. Beowolves, Ursai, Creeps and Boarbatusks clashed with the Atlesian soldiers. The military seemed to be having a hard time keeping the Grimm back, one soldier could be seen radioing for reinforcements suggesting they had been hit suddenly and taken by surprise.

"Yang, we have to help them" came Blake's voice from behind her as she turned back. Yang nodded firmly and looked to her gauntlet Ember. She hadn't fought Grimm since her accident. A hand reassuringly placed itself upon her shoulder. "I'm with you" spoke Blake with determined eyes.

That was all she needed. "Let's give it what we got then" smirked Yang as she ran for the conflict with her friend beside her. It didn't take long for the two to draw some attention from the Grimm as a Beowolf came leaping through the air towards Yang, claws extended and ready to slice down. It was time to see what Celica could really do. With a blast from the weapon she launched up to meet the Beowolf, far too fast for it to close its claws around her as her right knee came smashing into its chin. The impact halted the Grimm's momentum completely as it started to fly higher into the air from the hit, but before it could completely move out of her range Yang grabbed its leg before slamming it back into the ground.

The blonde landed upon her first defeated foe, looking up she saw a second Beowolf already swinging its claw towards her. Its arm was severed in one quick slash from Gambol Shroud as Blake intercepted the beast. The Beowolf recoiled before a black ribbon was swung and starting wrapping around its neck. Once the ribbon of Gambol Shroud had coiled around the throat of the Grimm the pistol fired, sending a bullet through its skull before the ribbon was tugged and in one swift motion it decapitated the monster.

Yang stood up to her feet and besides Blake as they looked ahead to more incoming foes. A Boarbatusk came spinning towards Yang in its flurry of sharp bone. She took a step backward and kicked straight with Celica, firing a shotgun blast upon impact and sending the Boarbatusk backwards as it struggled to climb back up its feet. She turned left to see Blake taking on an Ursa, she didn't seem to need any help at all as she already stood upon its shoulder, firing Gambol Shroud down into its skull repeatedly until it fell. Looking back to the Boarbatusk Yang saw some of the Atlesian soldiers open fire upon it as they began securing the area, they were definitely pulling their own weight.

The soldiers were finally getting their reinforcements as the gunfire increased and the Grimm were being pushed back, there was still more to do however. Yang gestured for Blake to follow her as she continued on into the main fight. As they drew nearer a Creep lunged through the crowd with its jaws open, quickly dispatched with a shotgun loaded fist into the mouth. Followed by a second that was blasted from a further distance with the same attack. Blake rushed by in front of Yang to engaged the next three in close combat. Watching Blake always dizzied Yang's head, the Faunus mostly looked although she was about to take a hit before it turned out to be a clone, and then she'd simply go in for the kill. Deceiving the Grimm seemed highly effective.

"Keep up the pressure!" yelled one of the soldiers as he reloaded his rifle and shot down a Beowolf alongside some of his comrades. The ground trembled beneath the small squad and as they looked down it cracked. "Retreat!" yelled one of them but it was too late, the ground opened up as a Death Stalker came erupting forth, its claws making wide sweeping motions as it knocked aside a number of soldiers. The gunfire that was returned upon it seemed to have little effect against the thick carapace that armoured it.

"Blake!" called Yang to catch her attention. The Faunus looked back to her and then to the Death Stalker, she nodded as she ran towards it. The creature prepared its stinger as Blake reloaded Gambol Shroud with a magazine. The piercing attack came down at her, but using her semblance she avoided the attack. But not only that, her clone had turned to ice and trapped the stinger of the large creature. Turning around the Faunus threw Gambol Shroud towards Yang who caught it. With a blast of Celica the blonde launched herself up while Blake tugged at the ribbon to swing her straight towards the Death Stalker. The back of Yang's heel came crashing down into the base of the stinger, dealing significant damage as the beast roared, the ice began cracking. Before it could retaliate against her Yang activated Celica and blasted herself off the Death Stalker, dealing enough damage from the shot to detach the stinger completely.

The Death Stalker flailed around in pain at the loss of its weapon. It's claws snapping left and right in any direction it could, knocking and colliding into other Grimm as a result before it finally fell to the ground defeated. Yang smirked to Blake as she returned her Gambol Shroud. "Just like old times?" she asked.

Blake smiled in response as she took her weapon back, as she made to reply her golden eyes widened as an Ursa came closing in behind Yang with its mouth open. Yang turned to see it coming towards her, she was too late to react. Headlights shined upon the face of the Ursa as a spinning tire smashed into its face, the bike revved as the tire increased its speed, devastating the face of the monster before it fell onto its back, the motorcycle falling with it as Winter jumped from her vehicle and flipped back over the two. They turned to look at her only to see that she just dealt with a Beowolf as she landed, pulling her sword from its head.

She offered the two a passing glance before she turned to engage more enemies. She was as a white bullet, passing from foe to foe. This was what a true huntress looked like. Every Grimm that dared get near her was cut down, others that were far away were pierced with a quick dash aided by a glyph. With Winter on the scene the Grimm began to rapidly fall as the soldiers pushed further on. Before the two realised it there were no Grimm around them. They followed after Winter in an attempt to assist her but she hardly needed it as she kept cutting down the beasts.

Suddenly amidst the fighting white Grimm were appearing and seemingly aiding the Atlesian soldiers. The soldiers themselves had moved back to let the white Grimm take the brunt of the attacks while they provided all the cover fire. Yang spotted Winter amidst the crowd, knelt down with her sword plunged into the concrete. A white glyph beneath her as more white Grimm kept appearing. Sooner or later the last of the black Grimm were slain and the military began fortifying the breach.

Yang could see Winter looking around searchingly before spotting her and Blake. Quite briskly she made her way towards the two. "I do not suppose either of you know what happened?" asked Winter in a tense tone.

"You were awesome!" yelled Yang in awe of the woman's combat prowess, to which Winter seemed puzzled. Blake was looking down the street, she seemed to have picked up on something during the fight.

"Yang" called Blake in a rushed tone to which she received the attention of both. "White Fang, I think I just saw one down the street" she answered.

"White Fang? Why am I not surprised..." spoke Winter with some disgust in her tone. "Miss Belladonna, lead on" she ordered.

It seemed to Yang that Blake was hesitant to do as Winter asked but in the end she did, she started heading in the direction she believed she had seen the White Fang. The three of them soon approached an alley and down that path was a large wide building. They stopped before it.

"This is an abandoned factory..." spoke Winter as she looked up at the building.

"It wouldn't be the first time they've used a place like this" answered Blake as she glared at the door.

The woman peered at Blake, "You are sure they went down this alley?" she asked with doubt.

Blake looked uncertain as she approached the door with weapon in hand. Yang walked up besides her, "Only one way to find out right?" she asked. It would make sense that the terrorist group would be around seeing as they no doubt allowed the Grimm into the city. It was the only explanation that made sense and it wouldn't have been the first time either.

Winter pushed before the two as she took charge, with a heeled boot she slammed the door open, forgoing any stealth as she entered the building. Yang looked around, it seemed the ceiling was lower than it should be, there was likely a second floor. Other than that the room was dark and empty with old machinery here and there. Straight on ahead at the other side of the large room was a metal staircase that led up higher. As Winter took a step forward and her heel echoed through the empty room figures started to appear from behind every piece of equipment, every corner. White Fang.

The three were on guard as steadily their foes outnumbered them five to one. One member of the White Fang was especially tall and wielded a chainsaw. He pointed a finger at two of his men and then gestured with his thumb back to the stairs. They nodded as they ran back to the other end of the room. Yang was ready to enter the fight as she moved forward, only to be halted by Winter's arm as she glanced down at her. "What do I keep telling you?" she asked before she looked forward, aiming her blade at the crowd ahead of them. "You and Blake get upstairs, find out what they are doing here if you can" she ordered.

Both Yang and Blake looked to her in surprise. "What? You can't be serious, we can't leave you to deal with this on your own!" protested Yang. Winter was good, but surely she couldn't be that good.

Winter smirked in response, "Then you should hurry up" she answered before a large white glyph appeared behind her, lighting up half the room as she took a ready stance to charge, her sharp eyes narrowing. The White Fang readied their weapons. "Go" commanded Winter before she vanished in a rush of wind. Yang and Blake looked forward to see the woman had outright cut a path straight down the middle with her charge, members of the White Fang still struggling to get back up to their feet, confused by what just occurred.

The large Faunus pointed his finger at Winter, "Another Schnee, this just keeps getting better" he chuckled as his chainsaw revved to life.

"Another..?" asked Winter as her expression started to shift into anger. Blake and Yang had taken their chance to run through the room, avoiding anyone that would try to stop them. Blake was the first to begin her ascent up the stairs as Yang paused to look back at Winter. She was worried for her safety but if anyone had a chance to walk out of this place without a scratch it was her. With that she chased after Blake up the stairs.

* * *

The lowered sun caused a dim orange light to fade in through the stained windows, tinting the room. Upstairs was more similar to a large office if anything but it still had equipment here too. Yang and Blake stood facing the two White Fang members that had been ordered upstairs, but behind them was someone else. The sound of fighting from below became apparent but their focus was on the figure who now stood before them. Yang took a step closer to Blake, almost protectively.

"Did you come to lose another?" asked Adam. The bull Faunus placed his hands upon both shoulders of the White Fang members in front of him, pushing them out of his way as he took a step forward, his left hand coming down to rest upon the hilt of his sheathed sword.

Yang's eyes flashed red, she hadn't expected to see Adam so soon but she was already furious at the memories. She thought she would be the one to strike first, but a dash of black showed that Blake had taken the initiative. Her eyes were full of hatred as she swung Gambol Shroud down towards Adam who fired his sword from its hilt, the pommel striking the blade of Gambol Shroud directly and forcing Blake back as the bull Faunus advanced, kicking her in the gut and sending her back as he caught his sword and swung in a wide arc towards her. His blade was halted by Ember as Yang intercepted the attack, she screamed in rage as her hair burst into flames, activating Celica to send a propelled knee towards the man.

He took the slam to the gut as he slid back on his feet before coming to a halt. His masked face looked up to Yang, "I was going to say you had something new up your sleeve... but..." he smirked as he looked to her missing right arm. The two members of the White Fang attempted to engage Yang but a single slam of her fist sent one of them smashing into a wall. The other suddenly looked unsure about his actions and outright ran past the two and back downstairs.

In rage Yang continued her assault as Blake stood back up to feet to assist her. Yang swung her fist forward as Adam deftly avoided it, he was forced to defend against Blake as they crossed blades. With a twist of her wrist Blake was aiming the gun of her weapon at the man who had to disengage to avoid the shot. His own sword quickly deflecting the bullets. Another swing came from Yang from his side as he turned to block it, only to take the shotgun blast to his aura as once more he was pushed back. Neither of the two let up though as a missile launched from Ember, Adam cut it from the air with his blade before moving onto the offensive, swinging towards Blake who used her semblance to avoid the cut. Her clone once more froze and trapped his blade but Adam was quick to aim his shotgun sheath at the image of Blake and blow it up with a blast, freeing his weapon.

From behind the mist caused by the ice clone came Celica upon Yang's right leg. The kick slammed into Adam's face as the blast from the shotgun also fired. The bull Faunus was sent hurdling back against the ground, his mask had been cracked as he knelt up. "Come on... hit more, you're getting somewhere" spoke the man as he stood up to his feet. He was fuelling Yang's fury as she came at him again, fist swinging as he parried with his sword, and again, and again. Blake came from his side with a stab from Gambol Shroud as he just barely avoided the cut, the blade grazing him as he took a few more steps back, sheathing his blade fully as he stood ready to draw.

Yang was prepared to attack again but felt Blake pull her back by her shoulder. "No, he's ready" spoke Blake as her golden eyes narrowed. Yang didn't remember much from her previous encounter with Adam, only that he had taken her out with one powerful slash. She looked to the sheath of his weapon now and could tell it was the same stance he had donned back then.

"How do we stop it?" asked Yang with her voice lowered, taking a ready stance.

"You don't" replied Adam as he drew his blade, in an instant everything briefly turned red. His arm had already finished its swing and he could see that he had connected the attack. Nothing could endure a strike from his blade in this fashion. Nothing. He watched with a smirk as his two targets shattered.

Shattered?

Beneath his mask his eyes widened as he saw Yang and Blake on the floor, a woman with mismatched eyes had her hands planted against their backs. He knew her. "You!? After the trouble I went through to save you!? You ungrateful bitch!" yelled Adam as Neo charged, using her umbrella to deflect a strike from his blade as she sent a kick to his head, knocking him to the side.

Yang and Blake were in disbelief. Before Adam had unleashed his sword they had felt something push them down to the ground harshly. Now they saw who had saved them, but it made no sense. "What- Neo?" muttered Yang as she watched her fight Adam.

The bull Faunus made a wide arcing slash at Neo who shattered and re-appeared above him, bringing down her umbrella against his head and causing him to drop to a knee before her own slammed him in the face, sending him back. He rolled upon his back and onto his feet as he charged back at Neo with a frustrated roar, swiping his sword into a reckless flurry. Each slice dodged, or hit to reveal an illusion. He took his sheath into his spare hand as he started using it to try and slam her and occasionally fire a shotgun blast alongside his sword. But again, he kept missing. His target was simply too agile, too deceptive, too calm. One blast from his shotgun hit a piece of machinery that extended up from the main factory below. The machine exploded into fire and caused all four in the room to stumble away from the blast. The building was quickly catching fire.

"Yang!" yelled Blake as she ran to her, helping her to her feet. They looked back to see that the wooden ceiling had also caught fire and burnt planks started to fall. Yet both Neo and Adam still fought.

Yang readied Ember, "We still have time! And now we have our chance!" she yelled as to Blake's protest she used Celica to launch herself at Adam. He turned during his fight with Neo to find Yang's fist smashed into his face once more, assisted by a shotgun blast. He slammed against the wall and fell to the ground face first as his mask shattered into pieces, his aura broke.

Before she could do anything else she felt a blunt jab against her chest, shunting her backwards towards one of the windows of the room. It was Neo's umbrella. Yang looked to her in confusion, Neo's eyes blinked and they swapped colours, she had no smirk this time. She sent a harsh kick right into Yang's chest and sent her through the window with a smash.

"No!" cried Blake as she launched Gambol Shroud towards Neo. She shattered and appeared once more, having caught the ribbon. With a powerful tug Neo pulled Blake towards her and when she came into distance she kicked her in the leg, forcing her to the ground. The Faunus looked up to see the same boot collide into her face and send her out the same window Yang fell from.

The blonde groaned as Blake landed on top of her. Her aura had taken some damage from the fall but thankfully no lasting injury seemed to have been made. She looked up the burning building and in the window she came from she saw Neo looking down at the two. From the tip of her umbrella a blade protruded and in silence she turned, dragging the tip of the blade against the ground. Blake slowly pushed herself up from Yang as she turned to look back at the building.

"Winter!" yelled Yang as another explosion came from the building. She feared for the worst but she should have known better. A large Faunus came slamming not through any of the windows but the sheer brick wall of the building. His chainsaw falling from his hand as Winter stood over him, glaring down at the two. She looked a little roughed up but seemed well. She moved besides the two and looked up to the top floor of the building.

"What happened?" asked Winter, her voice seeming calmer.

Yang and Blake struggled to their feet, "It was... the bull Faunus, and Neo" answered Yang.

Winter looked back to the two, "Adam Taurus?" she asked as she looked thoughtful. "And Neo is assisting him? That would explain her escape" she added.

"No... She..." Yang couldn't believe what she was about to say, "I think she just saved us... but she pushed us through the window..." she answered.

"Saved you..?" the woman looked perplexed as she looked up to the burning building again. Another explosion that caused the three to flinch. "We should get away from here, this place is about to burn to the ground" she answered as she turned, helping the two as they left the scene. Many questions raised in Yang's mind, was this really all still some kind of game for Neo?


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"So he's...?" asked Yang. She was speaking into her scroll as she stood in the middle of her apartment. It had been a day now since the Grimm breached the defences of the city. Blake was sat behind her upon the bed, idly watching more cooking shows on the TV. Now and then her uncovered feline ears would twitch at Yang's conversation.

"Yes" came Winter's response through the scroll. "They identified the bodies this morning, among them Adam Taurus" she had confirmed.

Yang looked back to Blake who appeared to have heard the result. For a second she looked slightly distant. It was true she despised Adam but once upon a time he had been different. Though with him gone now Remnant would surely be a better place. Yang spoke back into her scroll, "So the White Fang are done?" she asked.

A sigh came from Winter's voice. "For the most part. They are scattered now, probably squabbling over a new leader if any would rise to the occasion. Adam Taurus was ruthless and strong. With his demise perhaps they will return to their peaceful protests once more" she answered. "There is something else however, if you would like more... details".

"If you think it's something I need to hear go ahead" replied Yang.

"The fire was not the cause of his death. His right arm had been severed at the elbow, he bled out before the flames reached him" said Winter, her voice growing grim as she explained the cause of Adam's death.

Yang furrowed her brow, "You don't think..?" she began.

"She was the only one left at the scene who could have. Though I am curious as to why she took his arm. Perhaps something to do with you? I do not wish to suggest that maybe she was getting some kind of twisted revenge on your behalf but... not much else makes sense of it" answered Winter.

The blonde paused as she turned back to face Blake who was watching her, she was clearly still listening in and made no attempt to hide the fact. "I don't get what she's after..." admitted Yang as she glanced to the ground in thought.

"I do not imagine we will find out any time soon. For now be glad that she appears to be looking out for you. This is not the first time she has spared you from harm either" said Winter.

"She kicked me out a window, I don't think she's looking out for my health" responded Yang as she moved to sit besides Blake on the bed. The Faunus continued to observe her with keen golden eyes.

A soft chuckle came from Winter's side, "How else would she have told you to leave? In case you had not yet realised the girl is mute. I am not implying you should drop your guard around her however. She could still be setting up an intricate plot".

"Pfft, got no plans on dropping my guard near her" answered Yang, leaning back against Blake's side casually. Blake's eyes awkwardly turned back to the TV in silence. "But hey, any news on going to find Weiss yet? You're done with the White Fang now right?" continued Yang.

A pause came from Winter before she spoke, her tone seeming slightly dejected. "I've... tried to get permission to leave for Atlas... They keep denying it" she answered.

"What? Why?" asked Yang in confusion.

"Apparently Vale is still in need of me. It is strange I admit, my commanding officers have never treated me like this before. It makes me suspicious..." answered Winter, her voice turning colder towards the end of her sentence.

"You think something is going on higher up?" said Yang.

"Think? I am almost sure of it" she spoke, pausing briefly once more. "If I find out my father has been influencing the military I will go to Atlas, with or without orders. Because by that point there would have to be a reason he is keeping me from my sister. And that... annoys me" she answered, once more her voice almost becoming threatening.

"Influencing the military? He can do that?" replied Yang in disbelief. Blake's eyes had once more turned back to her.

"It would not be the first time. But besides, once I make some progress I will inform both you. Ah, Miss Belladonna, might I speak to her by the way? She is there, is she not?" asked Winter.

Yang glanced back to Blake behind her as she shook her head in return. "Uhh- No, no she's not here right now. Want me to leave a message?" she smirked.

"Yes, tell her-" Winter's voice was cut off abruptly.

"After the beep" interrupted Yang.

An awkward silence over the scroll began. Eventually Winter's voice returned, "Where is the bee-" she was cut off once more.

"Beep"

Winter's silence made it clear that she was annoyed but following another soft sigh she played along. "Miss Belladonna, I wish to remind you that when you have the chance-"

"Thank you for your message" interrupted Yang again, her grin only widening. Blake chuckled quietly from behind her at the conversation.

"Yang" began Winter in a warning tone.

It was difficult for Yang to contain her own laughter, "Chill Winter, you want her to have that chat with you, I got it" she answered.

"She is with you right now, isn't she?" asked Winter.

Yang looked back to Blake who smiled at her. "... Your message has been received" spoke Yang into the scroll, trying her best to sound like an automated message.

"Sometimes I wonder why I am associated with you" replied the voice through the scroll.

"Harsh. So work stuff out of the way, how was your morning?" responded Yang. Idly she adjusted herself and lay down, her back now across Blake's lap who blushed ever so faintly as she glued her eyes to the TV once more, feigning that she cared.

An amused hum came from the scroll before Winter replied. "Is this a social call now? My morning was as busy as ever. Yours?" she asked.

"Do you ever get a day off? And I dunno. It's been quiet I guess. We were thinking about heading out later for something to do, wanna come?" answered Yang, casually staring up at Blake who refused to look back down at her for the time being.

"I do have time off though I am usually working during them. And unfortunately I will have to decline, as amusing as it sounds. I do have a lot to do today though, I hope you and Miss Belladonna enjoy yourselves" said Winter in response.

Yang rolled her eyes, "Should've expected that. So" she began, grinning up at Blake before she asked her question, "What're you wearin'?" asked the blonde, once more her jesting attitude shining through.

"My uniform. Though I fail to see how that is relevant" responded Winter as if it was a normal as any other question.

Yang made a disappointed expression towards Blake as the Faunus finally looked down at her with a raised brow. "Uh... Okay, but what's under your uniform?" continued Yang.

"What? There's nothing under it. It's a uniform, a complete set" replied Winter, still not catching on.

"Nothing? Someone is feeling brave" chuckled Yang before Blake snatched the scroll from her hands.

"Sorry Winter, Yang's just being an idiot" spoke Blake into the scroll as Yang made attempts to snatch it back with her hand. Thankfully all Blake had to do was hold her wrist down and she was helpless.

Yang continued to struggle against Blake as Winter responded, "Ah Miss Belladonna, so nice that you could-" she began.

"Oh, sorry, I have to go Winter. Speak to you later okay?" responded Blake.

"Don't hang up-!" came the yelling voice from the scroll before it was silenced by Blake as she ended the call.

"Hey I still wanted to talk to her" spoke Yang, her struggling having halted for now. Blake looked down to the blonde and smirked, releasing her wrist. As soon as she did Yang sat up, wrapping her arm around the neck of the Faunus and pulling her into a headlock as she yelped in surprised. "If I had two hands you'd so be in for it now" grinned the woman.

Blake attempted to use her hands to pry Yang's arm from around her neck but the grip was simply too strong. She started patting her arm in submission, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry" apologized Blake before being released. It was only after she straightened her back that she realised Yang was practically sat in her lap now. Her golden eyes widened slightly as she looked back to the TV, but Yang's face moved in front of her view, her lilac eyes smiling at her.

"You're still acting weird Blakey" she said. This time Blake couldn't use the same excuse either.

"Uhh... It's a good show" answered the Faunus as she tried to look past her again.

Yang turned to look at the TV, it was just another cooking show. It wasn't even seafood this time either. Turning back to Blake she moved her face into her view again. "I've never seen you cook before" she said, somewhat interrogating her friend. Blake's gaze lowered with a frown. Seeing this Yang faced her with her body, placing a hand upon her shoulder as she straddled her lap. "Blake?" she asked concerned.

Blake's heart was beating fast. It really didn't seem like there was going to be any convincing alternative to get out of this situation. "I..." she began, struggling to speak her words.

"Come on Blake I can handle whatever it is you throw at me, you should know that by now" spoke Yang assuringly.

With a deep sigh the Faunus pulled Yang's hand from her shoulder and grasped it tightly with both of her own. She looked up into those lilac eyes, thinking how to best word what she wanted to say. "I... think I" she started again, "I have a crush on you" she admitted.

"A crush?" asked Yang, a sly smirk appearing on her lips. When she saw that Blake looked away she realised just how serious it may be for the Faunus.

"I'm sorry... It just... happened. When I saw you in that abandoned building... I don't know why..." spoke Blake. "It wasn't meant to happen like this, I'm sorry... We're not even the same race and-"

Yang silenced the Faunus with her voice, the blonde looked unsure at first. "What do you want?" she asked calmly.

Blake peered up to Yang, her expression uncertain, "What do I want?" she repeated her words.

"Yeah, what do you want? A relationship? Like, you know, the lovey dovey kind?" asked Yang bluntly.

The Faunus could barely read the expression on Yang, it seemed almost... determined in a sense, or just plain serious. "I- It's just a crush Yang, I don't expect-" began Blake once more, only to have Yang speak over her again.

"So let's see what happens. If I reject you it's gonna be awkward anyway right? And I don't like... not like you, if that makes sense?" asked Yang as her hand clasped around Blake's.

"But... is that what you want?" came the response.

Yang glanced up at the ceiling, "It's not like it never crossed my mind before or anything. And if you're happy with it, I'm happy with it too" she said, looking back down with a bright smile.

Blake didn't understand, was Yang accepting it for her sake? She had to question it. "But do you like me? Like that I mean" she asked.

"Well you're pretty. And you're smart too. If I was gonna hook up with anyone at Beacon it'd probably be you, so I guess... yeah. Yeah I do" nodded Yang with a grin. It was good enough. Blake wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into a relieved hug. Yang returned it, folding her one arm around the back of the Faunus. "But hey, let's take it slow okay? When you think about it you almost hit first base already" added Yang as she referred to Blake's sleeping habits.

The words that Yang spoke told Blake she wasn't fully sure about a relationship, but if she was going to give it a shot then she would make sure she did too and respect her wishes. So long as they could be together. Her heart felt as though it was bursting from her chest. Somehow it had happened, she had entered a relationship with Yang Xiao Long. When she first arrived at Beacon she'd never have imagined this is where she would end up. Her thoughts were interrupted by Yang's voice.

"Oh man, what am I gonna tell Winter?" she asked.

Blake chuckled, "I really don't think she's interested" she replied.

"Really? I could've swore she was" laughed Yang in response.

The two continued to sit upon the bed within their embrace. Blake had rested her head upon Yang's shoulder, her eyes closed as she took pleasure in the experience. This moment would surely burn itself into her thoughts, even if the relationship ended sour. This would always be a fond memory to her. "Thanks Yang" she spoke softly.

"Don't thank me, it's mutual right?" responded Yang. "Though that being said I guess our plans for today are more of a first date now?" she asked, finally pulling from the embrace as Blake did the same. The two locked eyes.

"Second if you count the walk in the park" answered Blake as she simpered.

Yang winked, "Let's hope it ends better huh? Though what do you actually wanna do? Anything planned?" she asked, finally moving herself off of Blake's lap and sitting besides her, facing the TV.

The Faunus once more leaned her head against Yang's, or rather now her girlfriend's shoulder. "Maybe... we could visit the beach?" said Blake.

"Like in swimsuits?" responded Yang.

"No, just a walk. The ocean is nice even if the weather isn't the best lately" came the reply.

Yang nodded, her arm wrapping around the back of the Faunus and tugging her against herself. "Then it's settled, beach date it is. I can't wait to actually have some gossip to text Winter" grinned Yang.

Blake seemed uncertain, "Gossip? Like what...?" she asked nervously.

"I like to tell her what you do in your sleep, or when you think I'm not watching" responded Yang without a care.

The Faunus scowled at Yang, "I should have guessed" she responded. "And what do you mean when I think you're not watching?" she asked.

"Your uh... urge to stop things that move faster than you" answered Yang. Blake looked confused for a moment. "When something like paper trash blows past on the wind you try to stomp on it. Leaves too. And let's not forget that time with the laser back in Beacon" she explained.

"Everyone does that" replied Blake as her eyes shifted away in embarrassment.

"Whatever makes you sleep at night" chuckled Yang. "Oh yeah, don't go getting all touchy feely with that just yet, okay?" she added as Blake lightly slapped at her in response with her hand. "You wanna go now anyway?" asked Yang.

Blake shook her head, "Maybe in an hour or so?" she answered.

Yang nodded, she knew Blake probably just wanted the moment to last a while longer. Herself however? She wasn't truly sure how she felt about Blake. She thought she was attractive sure, but she didn't know if she could ever love her in that way. But she promised herself she would try, if it made Blake happy it would surely be worth it. It was going to be interesting, that was certain. And perhaps even a challenge.

Her scroll vibrated on the bed but she didn't notice it, not even the screen lighting up. The message showed only the sender upon it, Neo.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The wind blew her dark hair across her face. She moved a hand to try and push it back to see Yang making her way towards her, two cones of ice cream balanced in one hand. The Faunus smiled as she neared, watching as the wind billowed her golden mane. The weather wasn't as perfect as she'd like it to have been. The wind was harsh and the sky was cloudy. But Blake didn't care too much though, it was the first day she got to spend with Yang as her girlfriend. It still felt surreal, like it shouldn't have happened. But she had to count her blessings that Yang would try to make it work. Because of that fact she felt their relationship felt somewhat hollow, but it was nothing that couldn't be changed with the right words and some time.

She was stood besides a wall, beyond it was the beach. The ocean looked grey and dull, the sand was wet as the tide had pulled out recently. The entire beach was empty, the only discrepancy upon it were a few pairs of tracks. But again, it could be raining for all she cared. She smiled to herself as she looked back to Yang who had now drawn close enough to hold out both cones of vanilla ice cream towards her. The Faunus took one of the cones carefully as her eyes glanced across Yang's. The woman smiled back at her as she closed her eyes, she seemed happy.

A soft chuckle escaped Blake's lips, she couldn't help it. She didn't find anything funny, it was just that she hadn't felt herself this happy in a long time. Perhaps even in years. She watched as Yang gestured with her head to a set of steps that led down to the sand of the beach. Blake nodded in response as she followed her lead. She brought the cone to her lips as her tongue took a scoop from the creamy vanilla dessert. She shivered slightly, though not from the treat itself but from the wind that rushed by the two once more as they stood down onto the sand. Yang paused to look back at her partner who had wrapped one arm around herself to keep warm. As a result the blonde stood by her and motioned for Blake to get closer.

Blake blushed softly and nodded as she wrapped her left arm around Yang's waist. With a smirk from Yang the two began walking together, leaving their first footprints in the sand. The biting wind blew in from the west and up the beach but Yang now stood as a barrier between it and Blake. At first the Faunus found it difficult to match pace with her partner, but sooner rather than later she managed to remain in sync and was comfortably leaning against her as they continued. The warmth that came from Yang was strong, she believed it to be partly due to her semblance. Either way it was a comfort.

As they kept walking Blake peered past Yang and towards the ocean. The waves were being picked up by the wind, crashing back down into the ocean. Their sound was all she could hear. Off in the distance was the silhouette of Patch, Yang's home. "It's sad" came Yang's voice as she looked out in the same direction. Blake looked up to her with a curious expression. "The city... The way it's empty like this..." she answered as she looked forward once again, her lilac eyes glancing briefly to Blake.

The Faunus understood what Yang was referring to. She frowned as she peered to her right, back towards the city of Vale itself. Barely a sound came from it. "Yeah... It used to be so full of life, there was always people, always something happening. It was bright and..." she lowered her gaze down to the sand in front of them.

"I hope we get to go back to it all sometime. Back to training in Beacon. To seeing our friends and just... having fun with everyone" replied Yang. She felt Blake's arm tighten around her waist.

The Faunus pressed her head against Yang's shoulder as she spoke. "We might. We might not. The city might stay like this forever, Beacon might never be cleared from the Grimm" she answered as her golden eyes peered up at Yang who returned the glance. "But we should look to how we can enjoy our lives now and ahead instead of how we did back then. We need to focus on the assumption things will never be the same. And if they are, we'll be pleasantly surprised and return to it" she answered, offering a bright smile up at the woman.

Yang thought upon Blake's words, nodding in return. "You're right. No use sitting on the past. It was good while it lasted" she answered. The two had walked some distance down the beach now. Yang moved to take another bite from her ice cream, but before she could her grip on the cone proved too tight as she crushed it, the treat falling to the sand as she and Blake came to a halt. "Well that sucks" she commented.

Blake offered her own ice cream to Yang who looked to it with uncertainty, once glancing to Blake. "I don't mind sharing if you don't" spoke Blake. The blonde offered a soft chuckle before accepting the cone. "Just don't break this one" added Blake with a wink as Yang took a bite from her borrowed dessert. With that the two resumed walking.

Further down the beach the wind was starting to pick up even more which caused both of their hair to blow wildly in its presence. Yang began leading the two towards another set of stairs that led back up to the city street. "You're cold right?" asked Yang as she looked back down to Blake. She received a nod in response. "Then let's go grab some coffee" suggested Yang as they began to ascend the stone steps back up to the pavement.

"Tea" corrected Blake as they reached the street. Nobody was around and the road was empty of cars. Behind them the sun had started to set, dipping under the clouds as its light shined the city in orange. Some of the windows of the tall buildings reflected the light and glistened. The couple crossed the street as Yang continued to lead. She directed the two towards a small corner diner, it was different to the one she usually frequented but this one had a nice view of the beach through its large glass windows.

Entering the diner the warmth of the interior washed over them. Blake's nose and cheeks had reddened slightly from the cold outside and her hair was a mess, much like Yang's. "Find a seat, I'll place the order" suggested Yang to which Blake nodded. She walked down the length of the diner as she looked for the best seat. Unlike with the weather she had a choice now, to pick the seat with the best view. She settled on the booth at the far corner, it was against the window and they would be less likely to be disturbed should any other customers come in. She took a seat at the window, it was on her left side as she looked out to the beach they had come from. She still felt cold but she was beginning to warm up.

It didn't take long for Yang to join her. She approached looking at the spot Blake had chosen. She made to sit across from her but paused. With a smirk she chose to sit besides her partner instead, moving up close enough so that Blake was practically pinned between the window and her. Blake gazed at Yang, "Good enough?" she asked as she referred to the spot she had picked.

Yang seemed to inspect it once more before nodding, "It'll do" she answered, "drinks should be a minute" she added as she rested her arm across Blake's back, her fingers idly stroking at her shoulder.

"How's it going so far?" asked Blake, eager yet anxious to hear Yang's reply as she offered her a smile. She seemed to be thinking upon her answer.

"Well... it doesn't feel weird" responded Yang, "The weather could've been better but otherwise uhh... Yeah, I'm enjoying myself. It's nice, being with you I mean" she answered, looking over to see that their drinks were being brought to them. Two mugs were placed upon the table, one tea and the other, surprisingly, also tea.

Blake breathed a silent breath of relief at Yang's words, "I was worried it might be a little... boring for you" she admitted before looking to the two mugs, her expression turned to one of suspicion as she looked back to Yang. "You didn't get coffee?" she asked as she pulled a mug of tea towards herself, cupping it in both hands.

Yang moved her arm from around Blake to pick up her own mug. "Hey, any day with you is fun" she replied to which Blake's heart fluttered. If Yang was trying to impress her with compliments it was working. "And I dunno. Felt like you might prefer it if I stuck to tea or something" she added.

To the second sentence Blake became more suspicious. She was no fool and believed that Yang had implied there may be a kiss at some point, despite having said she wanted to take it slow. The Faunus decided to prod her with more questions to sate her curiosity. "Why would I prefer it?" she asked coyly.

"Like I said, dunno" responded Yang with some hint of sarcasm in her tone. From the corner of her eye she peered back at Blake as she took a sip from her mug of tea. The Faunus snickered at her reaction as she looked to the window, the sun had almost set completely now as its last rays crested over the ocean in the distance.

"It's getting dark already..." spoke Blake as the light from what was left of the sun reflected from her golden eyes, only seeming to enhance their brilliant glow.

Yang took another sip from her tea, placing the mug back down gently. "Just because the sun is leaving doesn't mean we have to" she replied as Blake turned back to face her. Yang pointed a finger at her, "Something I want to ask you though" she spoke as the Faunus nodded, listening intently to her words. "Did you like me like you do now when we were back in Beacon?" she asked curiously.

Blake took on a ponderous expression as she answered, "I always thought you were cool. A little loud sometimes, but nice. I'd be lying if I said I never thought about it before either" admitted the Faunus as she looked back down into Yang's lilac eyes. "But ever since we met again here in Vale it just happened. It might have always been there, and if it was... seeing you again is what made me realise it" she answered, she looked somewhat embarrassed as she confessed.

"Huh, yeah. I think I know what you mean" responded Yang. When she first saw Blake in that abandoned building she had felt something of her own. Though she didn't fully understand her feelings back then. Perhaps they weren't so different from Blake's? Perhaps, without her realising, she also had a crush on her friend.

"You do?" asked Blake with a puzzled look. She could feel her heart stop at the possibility of Yang returning her feelings in full.

The blonde continued to think it over as she took a gulp from her mug of tea before putting it back down. "Kinda. I did feel... something when I saw you again. I thought it was just me being excited to see you" she responded as her eyes briefly scanned over Blake's form before returning to her face.

Blake offered a rather flirtatious smile in response, though she hadn't intended to do so. "You're really dense" she replied.

Yang chuckled as she jokingly tapped Blake's shoulder with her fist, "You're the one who seems to like that about me" she answered in return. The two laughed quietly together and as they stopped a silence drew over the two as they kept looking to one another. A part of Blake felt like this would have been the perfect moment to try for a kiss, but she had told herself she would take it slow enough for Yang to adjust to their relationship. Of all the things it was something she hadn't expected, for someone like Yang to be the type to want to take the slow approach. It certainly seemed to conflict with her headstrong and carefree attitude. Though maybe she was simply cautious because Blake was her friend and she feared ruining what they have? Her focus came back upon the woman who sat besides her, her eyes seemed to narrow with intent as she spoke. "Look ahead" said Yang.

The Faunus tilted her head in confusion at first before nodding in an unsure fashion. She looked forward across the table, the empty seat in front of her. After a second she felt Yang's hand brush the hair on the right side of her face behind her ear. Blake predicted what would happen and blushed before she felt Yang's soft lips against her cheek. It was a gentle sensation and her eyes widened in realization of what was happening. She felt Yang's hand move to the back of her neck to hold her still. For a simple kiss on the cheek it lasted a few seconds before finally she moved away. Blake was frozen in place, her mouth slightly open. It only confirmed the fact she wasn't dreaming as her eyes turned to Yang who smiled back at her.

"You look surprised" stated Yang, her hand still upon Blake's neck.

Blake closed her eyes with a smile, "I just... wasn't expecting it" she said, opening her eyes again as she gazed at her partner.

"Come on, you try me then" replied Yang as she looked forward, removing her hand from Blake's neck to brush back her own golden hair to make it easier for the Faunus. Blake hesitated first before the blonde's voice returned, "Don't be shy now Blakey" she answered.

Cautiously Blake leaned her face towards the side of Yang's and pursed her lips. She planted them against the woman's soft cheek. Something so simple made Blake's heart pound furiously. Her lips didn't remain upon Yang's cheek for half the time as Yang's kiss had lasted, pulling herself back as she smiled widely.

Yang placed a finger to her own lips as if in thought, though her posture was clearly made in jest as she replied, "Hmm... That's about... four out of ten. You gotta try harder next time" she answered with a wink at the Faunus who chuckled at her in response.

"You idiot" joked Blake as she turned back to her tea, taking a sip from it as she brushed her own hair in a self conscious manner. The two continued to finish their drinks before Yang idly checked her scroll to find she had one message from Neo. She frowned to herself as she looked upon the screen. Blake noticed this and asked, "What's wrong?"

Yang shook her head, she wouldn't let Neo ruin her day as she pocketed her scroll. "Just Neo again, I'm not bothering with it though" she replied to Blake as she half-smiled at her. The Faunus gave a pat to Yang's shoulder reassuringly.

"We should be heading home soon though right?" asked Blake. Outside was now completely dark, the sun having left for good. She took a last gulp from her tea as she finished it.

With a grin Yang leaned heavily against Blake, her face drawing close to hers, "Why, you bored Miss Belladonna?" she whispered in a mockingly threatening manner.

Blake breathed a short laugh in amusement at her girlfriend, "Never say my name like that again, sounds like Winter" she replied as she flicked her finger at Yang's nose, causing her to recline slightly.

"Hey, my nose is really sensitive" replied Yang in a sarcastic fashion as she rubbed her nose. Afterwards she finished off her tea and stood up to her feet, holding out her hand for Blake. "But yeah, it is late, we should get going" she answered. The Faunus reached up to accept her hand as she was pulled from her seat. The blonde never let go as they made their way out from the diner after paying for their drinks.

Outside the diner the weather was still cold and the wind had barely settled. Immediately Yang once more placed herself upon Blake's left side to shield her from the wind. The Faunus as before wrapped her left arm around Yang's waist as they started walking through the night streets of Vale. "Shame about the sky tonight" spoke Blake as she looked up to the clouds that blocked out the stars.

"You wanted to watch the stars with me? That's really corny" laughed Yang as they made their way back towards their home.

* * *

Blake shivered as they entered Yang's apartment, the cold had certainly got to her on the way back. Yang closed and locked the door behind them before turning to snap on the lights. There was a second of delay before the bulb actually turned on to light up the room. The window had been left open and the Faunus sighed as she climbed over the bed to close it. It had made the room itself especially chilly.

"Yeah, probably should have done that before we left..." said Yang as she watched Blake. She moved to the corner of the room where a portable radiator sat. Plugging it in she turned it on as its orange tubes lit up the room, gradually starting to warm the atmosphere. When she turned around Blake had already undressed and climbed into bed, wrapping the quilt around herself. With a grin Yang kicked off her boots as she approached, "Well someone is eager" she joked, prompting a smirk and a shake of the head from Blake.

"It's freezing" stated the Faunus as she reached for the remote and turned on the TV. More cooking channels. Yang removed her jacket and her cargo pants before climbing into the bed alongside Blake. She leaned her back against the wall as she casually started to watch the screen ahead of them.

Looking down at the Faunus Yang asked, "If you're that cold get a little closer". Blake awkwardly nodded as she shuffled closer to her girlfriend, wrapping her arms around her waist as she cuddled up to her. In silence the two simply watched TV, Yang's hand softly stroking against Blake's back.

After some time Yang had fallen asleep in her awkward position. It took a while for Blake to realise, she herself was always the last one to drift off it seemed. When she looked up at Yang she sighed to herself as she pulled her down into the bed properly so that she was laying on her back. The Faunus made herself comfy beside her, resting her head on her collarbone as her arms remained tight around her. Their legs brushed against one another. Yet Blake knew she couldn't fall asleep yet, there was a real chance of the portable radiator burning down the room after all. After a few more minutes she decided to deal with this issue and reluctantly climbed out of bed. Almost stumbling off the mattress as she made her way to the glowing radiator and switched it off. It had most certainly done its job in making the room rather toasty.

Turning back Blake realised the room was a little darker than it should be, not that she had any issue with that due to her Faunus eyes seeing better in the dark than that of humans. It was then she noticed that the street light outside of Yang's window wasn't on, it was completely dark. It must be broken she thought as she made her way back into the bed, once more getting into her comfortable position against Yang. She wore a smile on her face, today had been nice and she hoped for more calm and quiet ones like it in the future. At this rate she could maybe have a real thing going with Yang, though she wondered how her team mates would feel about it when they eventually find them again.

Before she could close her eyes she heard Yang's scroll vibrate once more. And again. In fact it started happening repeatedly as if she was getting a call. Blake reached out for it and opened up the screen to find that it wasn't a call, it was simply repeat messages from Neo. The Faunus narrowed her eyes, she wouldn't let Neo upset Yang with these messages in the morning. So she clicked the first to find it was blank. She deleted it as the second message opened up automatically. It was of an image of herself at the beach, Yang was in the distance bringing their ice cream.

Blake's eyes widened as she deleted the message only to find the third was a similar image only further along in their day. Neo had been watching them the entire time. With an angered expression Blake continued to delete every message, every image of her and Yang spending their time together. She got to the last one. The first thing apparent was Neo's face, she had a soft smile on her lips. But behind her was the diner, and within of course was Blake and Yang again. With a final tap Blake deleted the last message. At least this way Yang wouldn't have to deal with them.

She was too tired to remain awake now and so placed Yang's scroll back where she picked it up from. After her golden eyes closed the room lit up with the street light outside as the obscuring shadow left the small window.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The sound of chirping birds was more like an alarm. Yang was sure there was a nest just above her window but had never the time to check. Her bed was empty for the time being, it wasn't the first time she had woken up today after all. Earlier in the morning she had found Blake practically laying on top of her, not that she minded. Afterwards the Faunus had left the apartment to do some more shopping, leaving Yang to catch extra sleep to which she greatly appreciated.

She took in a deep yawn before opening her eyes to stare blankly up at the ceiling. Thinking back on yesterday she found that she wanted more and similar experiences with Blake in the future. Perhaps if nothing got in the way they could do something today. She remembered the kiss she gave the Faunus upon her cheek. At that moment she had been curious what it would be like, if she was comfortable giving such affection to her friend. Well, she was more than mere friend now. To her surprise it had been just fine however, and the thought of perhaps moving their interactions further was all that came to her mind. She found herself smiling at the thought of Blake, her cheeks gaining a soft tint of red. It was clear to her now, she definitely had a crush on the Faunus in the same way Blake had on her.

Her hand blindly reached for her scroll, missing a few times before catching it. She opened it up and moved the screen to her face. She had no new messages. But that didn't seem right. She had received a text from Neo yesterday that she hadn't opened. Searching her messages she found it to be nowhere, as if it had simply been deleted. She placed her scroll down before sitting up in her bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked to the window and saw the light shining through the fabric that covered it. Turning her head right she saw Neo.

It took a second to hit her as her face filled with shock, scrambling back in her bed as her hand reached for Ember which was upon the drawer besides the bed. Only it wasn't. She looked to see it had vanished completely. Her eyes moved back to Neo. She was standing in the corner of the room, idly observing the apartment. In her left hand she held Ember. The woman looked straight at Yang, a blank expression upon her features.

In response Yang's blood started to boil, her jaw clenched as she curled her hand into a fist. Neo took a step towards her and blinked, her eyes taking on the same shade of red that Yang's would. This mere action seemed to warn the blonde, in fact, seeing that shade of red intimidated her in a way she couldn't explain. It halted any thought of attacking that she had. Once Neo had noticed this she blinked again and relaxed her posture as her eyes took on a stark white. These eyes Yang had seen upon Neo before, when she had ambushed her within her apartment. It was a look of vulnerability, fear and pain. Though as to why the short woman had opted to don them now confused her.

In silence Neo continued to stare at Yang before she reached out her left hand, delicately offering Ember back to her. Once more Yang was at a loss and so hesitantly she reached out her own hand and took back her weapon. She thought that once she did Neo would attack but she didn't. She kept standing there, looking at her. Yang's lilac eyes narrowed upon her before she spoke, "Why are you here?" she asked, cautiously arming herself with Ember. Neopolitan extended her right arm forward as a gloved index finger pointed at Yang. "What? You're here to fight me then?" asked Yang again as her voice almost growled.

Neo shook her head, still maintaining a blank expression.

"Then... Then what? Do you want something?" asked Yang, the short woman's silence grating on her. Neo seemed uncertain of her answer as her eyes tilted up. Eventually they dropped back down to Yang and she nodded. "What do you want..?" asked Yang again. Neo held out her left hand sideways, as if to shake hands. The blonde looked at it. An offering of peace? A truce? She furrowed her brow as she glanced back up at the silent Neo. "Is this some sort of apology? What makes you think I'll accept it after everything you've put me through!? You got my dad arrested! You humiliated me like some toy! You tattooed your damn name onto my neck!" yelled Yang, her frustration rising.

Neo closed her eyes as she lowered her hand, she reached into her pocket to pull out a light pink scroll. Her eyes opened, still white, as she turned her scroll to Yang. The image upon the screen almost made her gag as she glanced away. It was a severed arm. Adam's severed arm.

"Th- That's sick!" responded Yang. Neo frowned as she closed her scroll, pocketing it. Yang understood what she must have meant by showing her that image though. She was reminding her why she was alive right now. "You kicked me out of a window" reminded Yang herself, to which the smaller woman glanced aside. But Neo wasn't wrong. If not for her Yang wouldn't be standing, and kicking her out of a window seemed to be a small price to pay for her life. Still, that couldn't simply outweigh all the things the girl had done to her.

Neo looked towards Yang once more and for a second time extended her left hand out to shake.

Yang refused again. "No, you can't just call it even like that, even if you did save me. You still did terrible things to me!" she replied.

Once more Neo took out her scroll, she seemed annoyed. Yang thought for a second she would simply show her the same picture, but this one was different. A smashed table, spilt tea, broken pieces of porcelain, shattered glass. It was a mess, it was destruction. Neo's apartment.

Once more Yang's mind took a second to try and figure out what Neo was attempting to convey. Perhaps that Yang in her revenge had also done something terrible to her? And Neo's own response to the destruction of the things she loved was to... save her? When she thought about it logically, had their score been evened between ruining Neo's apartment and being saved from Adam? She counted the things that had been done to her on Neo's account. There was the humiliation in the abandoned complex. The tattoo. Convincing her dad they were a couple. Getting her dad arrested. She could've swore there was more to it than that. She couldn't fault her for the fights they had, if she did that she would have a grudge on most people and fighting was something she had enjoyed, at least when it was going her way.

With that in mind though, Yang considered that they could be even on all counts except for one. Neo had suffered pain as Yang did sure, but she had yet to be humiliated herself. "How do you expect to even what you did to me at the complex?" asked Yang.

Neo once more seemed to ponder her answer. She blinked and her left eye took on a magenta colour while the other remained white. The significance on this was lost to Yang but what happened next was not. The short woman seemed to shuffle awkwardly before both her hands reached up to the button upon her jacket as she unclipped it.

"Wh- Wait, stop!" urged Yang as she moved to cover her eyes with her hand, but she could still hear fabric falling to the floor, Neo was undressing in her apartment. "What are you doing!? I didn't mean-!" continued Yang, finding the entire situation ridiculous. She moved her hand just slightly so that it granted her vision only to Neo's head. She was blushing heavily and looking to the ground in a shamed manner. She saw as the woman turned her attention back up to Yang and after a brief pause she started advancing towards her, crawling across the bed in an attempt to get closer. In a last effort to get her to stop Yang yelled once more, "Okay we're even! Just put your clothes back on!"

Neo paused and nodded once more, her shy expression still visible on her face as both her eyes blinked and returned to white. Yang kept her vision covered by her hand as she heard the woman re-dressing herself.

Cautiously Yang lowered her hand from her face to find that Neo was fully clothed once more as she buttoned up her jacket. She looked to Yang and extended her left hand forward towards her again. Yang stared down at the gloved hand. She didn't like Neo, that was painfully obvious. But she had just admitted that they were now even, even if it was just to stop her from getting closer. Her lilac eyes peered back up at Neo, she looked almost pleading by this point, a small pout on her lips. Slowly Yang reached her hand out, eventually clasping it around Neo's who quite eagerly shook her hand. A bright smile had appeared on the smaller girls features and her eyes had returned to magenta and brown with a blink.

Yang still couldn't understand why any of this was happening, by all rights she ought to be using that very hand to punch her face in. But here it was, forming a truce. Though if that's what this really meant it may have been worth it. To not have to look over her shoulder or feel like she was watching her. Yes, this was definitely the right choice. The shaking stopped and for a moment Yang could feel that Neo's hand was incredibly soft for the amount of fighting she supposedly did, not only that but it felt delicate, as if the smallest squeeze would snap the bones inside. She let go of her hand and glared down at her. "Let's just make it clear though, this doesn't mean we're friends. I still don't like you" spoke Yang, she had to get her message across clear.

To this Neo frowned as she pulled out her scroll, with a few swipes she showed the screen to Yang with a blush on her cheeks. It was a picture that Yang had taken, an empty bowl of what was left of three flavours of ice-cream.

"Nope. No way" replied Yang. Neo wiggled her eyebrows at her in response. "No. And if you're going to keep pushing it..." she warned. To this the smaller woman gave a slight frown as she pocketed her scroll and placed both her hands behind her back. She alternated between standing on her toes and her heels as she rocked back and forth, looking up at Yang. This prompted Yang to wonder if Neo had the wrong idea on what she thought they just shook on. A thought came to the blonde's mind as she turned to the drawer besides the bed, picking up a notepad and pen with one hand as she held both out towards Neo. "Why don't you just use this?" she suggested. She knew Neo could probably read and write, she wouldn't have been able to read Yang's messages if not.

Neo leaned forward slightly as her eyes gazed over the notepad and pen. She took them both in hand and scribbled something on the paper for a few seconds before holding it back to Yang. It was a heart. And not the simple type of heart, it was a drawing of an actual human heart. In detail.

Yang just nodded her head slowly as if she understood what the drawing meant before placing it asides. "Okay... Is that a no to actually writing?" she asked as she watched Neo.

Neopolitan nodded once as an answer, though the reason why she refused to write words was anyone's guess at this point.

With a sigh Yang reached for her own scroll as she began swiping through her contacts. She could see from the corner of her eye that Neo was watching her curiously. Yang started making a call as she brought her scroll up to her ear. After a few seconds a voice came in through the other end. "Yes?" spoke Winter's voice.

"Winter, can you come on over? There's something you uhh..." began Yang as she faced Neo, she was still smiling at her with that usual smug expression that had been vacant for a while now. "There's something you'll want to see..." she said.

"Good timing, I have matters to discuss with you as well. I will be over shortly" replied Winter as she hung up. Yang immediately started another call as she kept her eyes on Neo.

"Yes?" came Blake's voice from the scroll.

Yang turned around as if wanting some measure of privacy during her call, "Hey Blakey" she greeted. "When you get home uh... Can you... Try not to freak out?" she asked nervously.

A pause came from the scroll. "What did you do?" asked Blake.

"Oh, nothing. It's not me just uhh... Promise, yeah?" replied Yang.

Blake's voice sounded uncertain. "Sure, okay. I promise. I'm almost back, just a few more things to pick up" she replied.

"More dirty books?" asked Yang with a smirk.

"We can read them together if you really want" came the quick response from Blake followed by a chuckle.

Yang shook her head to herself, "Filthy, Blake. Filthy" she answered jokingly. "I'll see you soon okay?"

"See you soon" replied Blake's voice before the call ended. With that Yang turned around to see that Neo was sat right behind her on the bed, clearly having listened in. It irked her to know she was eavesdropping as her eyes narrowed.

Neo simply tilted her head at her with her usual smirk. A part of Neo just seemed so... innocent. Yet Yang knew full well just what she was capable of.

* * *

Some time later and she could hear a knock at the door. "It's open!" she called out. She hadn't even taken the time to properly dress, still in her orange tank top and black shorts. The door opened to reveal Winter. Immediately the woman's icy glare shot to Neo who was sat on the bed behind Yang, peering back at her.

"Yang, get down!" yelled Winter as she unsheathed her saber and prepared to charge forward. Neo's eyes widened as Yang held out her hand towards Winter.

"Wait! I know she's behind me!" replied Yang.

At first Winter seemed at a loss as her eyes searched Neo. "You are... sure?" she asked as she looked back to Yang to which the blonde nodded. Winter sheathed her blade cautiously as she made her way into the room, kicking the door shut behind herself. "Can I get an explanation..?" she asked.

"She was here when I woke up" Yang began, but quickly realised that may not have been the best start to her explanation. "Look, she... I think she really is trying to make amends, like you said" admitted Yang.

Winter sighed through her nose, eyes glued to Neo. "And you are fine with that?" she asked, looking back to Yang.

"I still hate her if that's what you're asking. And I'm making sure to-" she paused briefly as she looked back at Neo, "-Remind her of that every chance I get" she finished with a harsh tone. Neo pouted at Yang in response.

"Well. Okay. What's her price?" asked Winter, she had caught Neo's attention.

"Her price?" asked Yang.

Winter nodded once. "Yes. Her price. In case you hadn't notice, little miss Neopolitan here has always appeared to be a hired gun. Or... umbrella. First Torchwick, then Hei Xiong. After Xiong did you not stop to notice she had become a lot less aggressive towards you? It was because her client had turned on her" explained the woman as she gestured a hand towards the subject of discussion.

Winter's words rang true. Ever since Junior had betrayed Neo she had very little direct conflict towards Yang. "Huh... I guess you're right- Wait are you suggesting we hire her? Because that would mean having her around" responded Yang.

"If we can afford her price, trust will not be an issue. She will be loyal so long as the money keeps coming her way, much like she has been loyal to every client she appears to have had so far. Is that not correct?" asked Winter, turning her attention once more to Neo. The small woman stood up to her feet and nodded with glee. "Then that begs the question, what is the price?" asked Winter once more.

Neo, as per usual, considered her answer for several seconds. Eventually she held out three fingers towards Winter. Afterwards she made an O with her finger and thumb twice in succession.

"Three hundred Lien? Weekly I presume?" asked Winter, Neo nodded but then crossed both her index fingers, making a plus sign. Winter raised a brow as she watched Neo take a step to stand besides Yang, she pointed a finger at her.

Yang glared down at Neo, "I'm not for sale" she answered. Neo looked to her and shook her head. To demonstrate she took a step away from the blonde, shaking her head after pausing. She then returned to her side and nodded. Yang seemed lost.

"Ah... I think I understand" smirked Winter as she folded her arms.

"What is it?" replied Yang in an annoyed fashion.

Winter looked between the pair. "Part of her deal appears to include being by your side. Hei Xiong was not exaggerating..." she answered.

Yang wasn't sure what to think of it. The idea of having Neo following her around was not the best one, but perhaps she wouldn't have to worry if what Winter said about her profession was true. She glanced to the ground with a sour look. "I don't like it" she admitted.

"Yang, it would be beneficial. You have seen what she is capable of. And if it makes you feel better I will handle the expenses" offered Winter.

"Why would you do that?" asked Yang as she looked back up to her.

Before a response could be made the door opened as a familiar Faunus entered. The three all looked to her as her golden eyes widened at the sight of Neo. The first to respond to her was Winter who blocked the view from Neo. "I have just had it explained to me. Neo is no longer a threat" she stated in a now common stern tone.

"What? But she's-!" began Blake. She thought immediately of mentioning the pictures Neo had taken of both herself and Yang the day before but thought to how that could impact her relationship with Yang. The blonde would likely not take kindly to the idea of her looking through her messages after all. Instead she paused. "She's the enemy" she ended, her tone a little flat.

"I still don't like her" called out Yang from behind Winter.

"Look, Blake" said Winter, using Blake's first name like she so rarely did. "For now it will be easier for you to simply not dive upon the girl. I have news that must be prioritized, then I will explain Neopolitan's presence" said the woman.

Blake reluctantly nodded before peering past her, quickly she made her way over to Yang's side, dropping her bag of shopping next to the bed. Yang smiled at her reassuringly but Blake could see Neo's gaze glaring upon her from behind the blonde.

The sound of Winter closing the door left open by Blake caught everyone's attention. "I have been conversing with General Ironwood recently" she stated before turning around, arms folded. "I will not take you through the entirety of our talks, but it boils down to this. He has acknowledged my desire to go back to Atlas, but he cannot allow it" she said, to this Yang and Blake frowned. "But... he has assured me my position once I return from being..." Winter paused, the very words seemed distasteful for her. "Absent without official leave" she nodded.

"Wait... you're quitting your job?" asked Yang.

Winter shook her head, "No, not entirely. The general has informed me that I cannot expect any military assistance. Once I begin heading for Atlas I am on my own. But of course... I will not be alone, will I?" she asked, eyes looking upon Yang. The promise.

A smile began to form upon Yang's face. "Nah, you won't be. You hiring Neo suddenly makes a bunch more sense too. Even if I hate her guts" admitted Yang. Neo pouted again.

"We're taking her with us?" asked Blake to which Winter once again nodded.

The four of them sat in silence for a brief second as they came to terms with what had just transpired. A team assembled. The way was clear, Atlas was to be their next destination.

Weiss was their next destination.

"Wait are we seriously called Team Bunny now...?" asked Yang, she didn't seem too fond of the initials that formed the name of the newly created team. Team BWNY.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Separated by a pane of a glass with white walls on either side of her. Yang was sat upon an uncomfortable chair as she looked through the glass to see her father, Taiyang, on the other side. He rested his elbow upon the small shelf-like table in front of him as he leaned his face upon his hand. Taiyang didn't seem too worse for wear, in fact he looked just fine as if being in prison hadn't effected him at all. Yang frowned as she spoke, "Are you alright?" she asked.

Taiyang breathed a laugh through his nose, "Don't tell me you've been worried, buttercup" he replied as he smirked lazily at her.

"You know where you are right?" continued Yang as she leaned back in her chair. Her father's voice was distorted as it came through the speakers.

"And you know what I am, right?" retorted Taiyang. "Anyone who tried to start something with me in here have learned not to. I'm a hunter Yang, and these guys? They're just crooks" he continued on as he idly glanced from side to side.

Yang sighed, "Well sorry for being concerned I guess" she answered.

Her father shook his head as he leaned forward towards the window. "Don't be like that. I'm fine as rain in here, I'm more worried about you though" he replied with a worried expression.

"I'm doing okay" nodded Yang, "I've got Blake and Winter with me, so if you're worried about me being safe, you don't have to" she answered.

Some part of Taiyang seemed to frown at her words, no doubt he felt his fatherly duties were being taken from him. "Are you eating well?" he asked, attempting to gain some of those duties back in a sense.

Yang half-smiled, "Eating well. Sleeping well. Keeping healthy. I'm not a kid any more dad" she said.

Taiyang nodded slowly as his eyes glanced down, "Yeah, sometimes I need to remind myself" he admitted. "You stopped being a kid a long time ago, long enough that you shouldn't have had to stop being one at that age. Got myself to thank for that" he added.

"Not gonna start beating yourself up in front of me again are you? Thought we got through that phase" said Yang in a light-hearted fashion as she attempted to cheer her father up.

To that Taiyang smiled, "We did" he agreed before his blue eyes peered back up to his daughter. "So what are you doing now?" he asked.

She thought about not telling him, to save him the worry. But this was her father, she had lied to him enough about matters of importance. Maybe if she told the truth she could convince him not to chase her after he is released. "I'm ah... Going to Atlas" she nodded.

"Atlas?" asked Taiyang with a confused look. "Why?"

"To find my friend Weiss. Blake and Winter are coming with me, and Winter's a full fledged huntress, I'll be fine" answered Yang.

"So am I, I know you've never seen me fight properly but I'm strong Yang. If you need help to find your friend then I'm going to come with you" answered Taiyang in a confidant manner.

Yang shook her head, her blonde hair swaying. "Dad, if you wanna help... find Ruby" she answered. To this Taiyang paused. "I haven't been able to reach her since she left, and I know Uncle Qrow went after her but... I'm sure wherever she is she needs more help than I do"

"Ruby..." sighed Taiyang thoughtfully as his eyes drifted away. "You're positive you'll be okay?" he asked once more as he looked to Yang through the glass.

"More than positive" answered Yang reassuringly with a bright smile.

That smile alone was enough to convince her father who smiled back as he softly chuckled. "Yeah. Yeah, you will be. Alright" he nodded with a deep breath. "When I get out I'll find Ruby. Then I'm coming straight for you. One day I'm going to do what I should have done that night you both left searching for your mother" he said. Yang knew what he referred to, the time when she took Ruby with her in a child's attempt to find her mother Raven. Back then Qrow had rescued them while Taiyang mourned the loss of Ruby's biological mother. "One day... I'll save you. Both of you" stated Taiyang with a determined stare.

Yang curled her hand into a fist as she placed it upon the pane of glass in front of her. In return her father did the same. From either side of the glass their fists touched. "I'll be waiting" answered Yang. The two lowered their hands. "I'll see you around dad, I love you" said the blonde, maintaining her smile.

"Love you too buttercup. Stay safe" replied Taiyang as he continued to smile back. With that he stood up from his chair as he made to leave her view, but before he vanished completely he kept smiling at his daughter. Yang had no idea when she'd next see her father and so she savoured those last seconds of seeing his face before he was removed from her view. She sat in her chair almost at a loss afterwards.

She pulled in a deep breath and exhaled. After a few seconds a figure walked back into view behind the pane of glass, sitting down upon the chair. "Hey Blondie, what's with the face?" came Junior's voice as he grinned at her.

Yang glanced up at the man, "Hey Junior, it's nothing. Here" she stated before lifting up an umbrella from behind her side of the table, more precisely it was Neo's umbrella.

Junior leaned back in his chair in surprise, "Woah... Didn't know you had it in you" he replied as his eyes looked upon the weapon. "So she's..?"

"Dealt with, yeah" answered Yang.

For a while Junior looked thoughtful before his eyes returned to Yang, "You done me a good thing here Blondie... Anything your daddy needs I'll be sure to get for him. You got my word, so long as I'm still in here anyway" said Junior.

Yang raised a brow at the man, "Really?" she asked in surprise.

"Yeah, really. I honestly didn't think you could be a match for her. I thought she'd be the death of me. So in a way you saved my ass, and Junior always settles the score" smirked the man. "So anything else you need?" he asked.

With a shake of her head she stood up from her chair, "No, that's all. I'm leaving Vale for a while so... Thanks Junior" spoke Yang.

"Any time Blondie. Stop by for a drink when I'm out of here okay?" responded Junior as he gave a single wave of his hand.

"I'll remember that" smirked Yang as she nodded once back at the man before turning and making her way for the exit, umbrella in hand.

* * *

Outside of the prison the sun was high in the sky and the clouds were nowhere to be seen. The heat came down upon her as she made her way towards the street, the light shining off her brilliant golden hair as she walked. Before her was a silver car, it was of sleek design with four doors and blacked out windows. In front of the car stood Winter, and by her side Neo and Blake. Yang had arrived to the prison on foot, so seeing the car came as some surprise to her as her eyes scanned it over multiple times.

As she reached the three she held out the umbrella back to Neo who took it with a smile. Yang looked to Winter who spoke. "Anything else you need to do before we leave?" she asked.

Yang shook her head, everything and everyone that mattered to her in Vale had been addressed, the quiet city no longer had anything to offer her. "How long do you think it'll take?" she asked, looking to the car.

"That depends entirely on how the trip goes" replied Winter vaguely as she turned to open the door of her Atlesian car.

"Wait, I call shotgun" announced Yang as she tried to make her way around the front of the car. Before she could though, Winter had turned around.

"That seat is reserved" she stated.

"What? By who?" asked Yang in confusion as she looked back to Blake and Neo.

The Faunus shyly began making her way to the front passenger seat of the car. "When the road gets dark it will be beneficial to have her eyes should we find ourselves without street lights" answered Winter as Blake entered the front passenger seat.

Yang turned her attention to Neo. "Does that mean I have to sit in the back with... her?" she asked, glancing back at Winter who nodded once in return before entering the driver's seat of the car. Yang could already feel Neo grinning at her as she grit her teeth, opening the back door of the vehicle and entering. Neo followed behind her, closing the door as she sat down.

The inside of the car was mostly black. The seats were leather but due to the sleek design of the vehicle the inside felt rather cramped. The front section of the interior had various lights upon its interface, the car was clearly expensive and she expected nothing less from Winter. "Does anyone need anything else before we start? Nothing big, the boot is full enough as it is" asked Winter to which everyone shook their head. "In that case..." continued the woman as the vehicle sprung to life, like her bike it was eerily silent and barely made a sound from its engine.

"What about seat belts?" asked Yang.

Winter looked back over her shoulder at her with a stare, "My skill in driving extends to cars too" she answered.

"You're gonna drive us into an Ursa then?" replied Yang with a smirk. She could hear Blake chuckle quietly in front of her.

The woman's icy blue eyes narrowed, "There should not be any Ursa on the route we will take" she answered, not denying the idea. Yang felt nervous all of a sudden. Looking ahead Winter pushed her boot down as the vehicle began to accelerate. Glancing out the window Yang could see the buildings passing by. The streets of Vale were still empty, the roads vacant of any other car. The city was still dead. They passed some of the buildings Yang had been to since her stay here. The rooftop diner, the abandoned complex, the warehouse, the coffee diner near the shore, Junior's club, her soon-to-be abandoned apartment.

Blake looked over to Winter, "So how are we getting to Atlas?" she asked.

"By sea" replied Winter, "There is a port in the north that frequently takes shipments of dust from Atlas, my father will have an eye on those transports. We will be attempting to gain passage upon one of the other vessels, so any ship without the S.D.C logo. From there we will arrive in Atlas and promptly start making our way to my home" she answered.

"So we're not flying?" asked Yang as she looked to Winter.

The woman kept her eyes on the road as she responded, turning a corner. "No. My father will expect me to return to Atlas as soon as I can, his eyes will be on airships as well. It is difficult for me to travel without being noticed, I do not exactly blend into the masses" she replied.

Blake's golden gaze looked ahead to the road, "Any idea where we'll be staying? It'll take a few days right?" she asked.

"That is correct. We will be staying where we find accommodation. However, the road we plan to take lacks... civilization at some parts. We may go two days without seeing any buildings, or anyone else for that matter. Perhaps longer than that. In such cases we have tents we can set up, of which we have three. If the weather proves too extreme we will simply sleep in the car" answered Winter once again, halting the vehicle at an intersection. Despite there being no other car around she waited for the lights to turn green before accelerating and turning the next corner.

The vehicle was now travelling upon a road that lifted up and out of Vale. Out of the right window Blake and Yang stared as they saw Beacon in the distance. Still broken, still darkened. The creature frozen upon its pinnacle. It was a reminder of times lost for them. Yang frowned as she watched the tower as it grew further away while they started to leave the city itself. Blake's hand came into her view and turning forward she could see her smiling back at her from the front seat. Yang smiled in return and took her hand into her own, squeezing it gently. It was a difficult thing for the both of them to see as they turned back to watch the tower again. Maybe when they returned things would be different in Vale. Maybe things would be more... normal.

Yang let go of Blake's hand as the Faunus sat properly again into her seat. Looking back to Winter Yang asked, "So why just three tents?"

Winter changed gear as she responded, "Blake suggested it would be adequate. As a result we had more room for supplies" she answered.

The blonde couldn't help but smirk at the fact it was Blake that had suggested it. In the corner of her eye she caught Neo somewhat... shifting towards her. She had halted as Yang looked upon her directly and the smaller woman simply glanced forward as if nothing had happened. Her lilac eyes lingered upon her for a pause of uncertainty before looking out the window on her right. The forest she could see was red, they had entered the forever fall, a forest on the borders of the city of Vale.

In the front passenger seat Blake's eyes looked to the forest with a tint of sorrow. She had been here before after all, before she joined Beacon. Her head leaned against the glass of the window as her golden gaze turned forward again. The road ahead was empty and seemed to continue on into the forest for miles. It was straight and she could see that the red leaves of the forest littered the concrete road. The silver car pulled the leaves from the ground as it passed, creating a small trail of red in its wake. They looked like petals as they gently fell back to the ground to cover their tracks.

Beams of light from the sun shined down through the gaps they could find in the foliage above. They flickered in and from existence as the wind disturbed the branches. The silence of the car left only the sound of the leaves rustling by and the wind blowing through the forest. With a tap of her finger against one of the many buttons upon the interface Winter opened the sky roof to allow more light into the vehicle. With the top of the car now open the sounds of the forest became clearer, they could even hear the engine now, though it was still quiet.

Yang's head darted back as she believed Neo had shifted closer to her once more, the small woman was now sat besides her, almost brushing shoulders. She kept her eyes on her as she narrowed them, but Neo kept looking forward. Blake glanced back and upon spotting that Neo had gotten closer to her girlfriend her expression soured. She tried to give the woman a warning glare but she didn't seem to notice it as she simply continued to stare ahead.

"Food and drink are in the boot Yang, you can reach it from where you are if you or anybody else is hungry or thirsty" reminded Winter as she kept her right hand upon the steering wheel, resting her head upon her left hand as her elbow leaned against the small shelf of the window.

Yang looked over her shoulder, she found she could lift up the back panel to reveal the contents of the boot. "I'll have something to drink" came Blake's voice.

"Uhh... they in this ice box?" asked Yang as she unclipped a blue and white box, as she opened it she could feel a cold breeze brush up her arm. Inside were an assortment of chilled cans. "Orange soda, Blake?" she asked in return as she reached for the can.

"Lemon" came Blake's voice as the Faunus reached out an arm in preparation, she could see Neo glare at her for the briefest of moments.

With a sour expression Yang picked up a can of lemon soda, holding it back to Blake. "Lemon? Really?" she asked as Blake took it from her hands, the sound of opening the can following shortly after.

"What's wrong with lemon?" came Blake's voice.

Yang shook her head to herself, "Winter?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder to the driver of the vehicle.

"I am fine for the time being" she answered.

The blonde turned her attention to Neo. She bit the inside of her cheek before sighing softly to herself, "Neo, want anything?" she asked. Neopolitan looked up to Yang and grinned as she nodded. For a while Yang simply watched her before realising she wasn't going to get an answer. "Uh... What do you want?" asked Yang. To answer this Neo shrugged, seemingly letting Yang decide for her. The blonde turned back to the ice box and pulled out a can of appropriate cream soda. She held it out to Neo who gratefully accepted it with a wink and a smile. Yang rolled her eyes at her before grabbing herself a can of orange soda. Closing the ice box with the can she turned and sat back down in her seat, opening the can with her teeth and taking a long gulp. When she had sat back down she was sure Neo had moved even closer, their shoulders were now pressing against one another. Something Yang didn't particular approve of.

The silver car kept up its pace as it continued on along the road of crimson fallen leaves.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The forest of red continued to pass by while the only sound the car left behind was the wind and the leaves. It had been an hour since they left the city of Vale now, soon they would be approaching the end of the Forever Fall. The journey so far had been quiet with nothing amiss. They hadn't seen any other cars pass them, and why would they? Vale had a black mark upon it as of right now thanks to Beacon. Rarely was anyone willing to go there.

Within the car Yang glowered at Neo and with her left hand she attempted to push her away for the smaller woman had started leaning against the her heavily. Before she made to move her hand however Neo had grasped her wrist tightly and pinned it down. With her only arm disabled Yang started to try and push her away using her own shoulder. It only worked somewhat as Neo would simply bounce back against her should any distance be made between the two.

"What are you two doing?" came Winter's voice. Yang looked up to see her icy blue eyes in the rear-view mirror staring back at her. To the sound of her voice Blake also glanced back suspiciously, her gold eyes narrowing at Neo who idly glanced away from her glare.

"She won't stop leaning on me" complained Yang as she tried to shove Neo with her shoulder again.

Winter only seemed to sigh and shake her head as her eyes turned back to the road while deciding to put such a squabble behind her. Though Blake did not seem as willing to ignore the matter as she spoke out, "Neo, if she wants her space give her some" she said, her voice tinted with warning.

Neopolitan simply ignored her which only seemed to annoy Blake further. "Forget it Blake, I do not want to have a one-sided argument in my car and it is hardly a pressing concern" came Winter's voice. For a moment it looked although the Faunus would protest against her but one glare from the other woman halted any ambition to do so as she turned back in her seat, folding her arms with a sour expression.

"Just- Get off me" growled Yang as she kept trying to shove the source of the problem away. No matter how hard she tried it didn't seem like she was going to succeed any time soon. Neo looked up to her with, oddly enough, one of the cutest smiles she'd seen the girl pull. With a frustrated sigh Yang turned her attention to the window on her right as she looked out from it. The sun had finally started to lower and enhanced the colour of the forest even further with hues of orange.

"So Yang, you are from Patch correct?" asked Winter as she glanced into the rear-view mirror once more.

Keeping her eyes to the window Yang nodded, "Yeah. Why?" she asked in return.

"I was wondering what it was like there after the attacks on Beacon and Vale?" came the response from Winter.

"Well... It got more popular I guess. Not that I noticed much, spent most of my time at home after my... accident" replied Yang, pausing at the thought of her missing arm.

Winter nodded to herself once as she adjusted the steering wheel, the car came upon a long curve and gracefully began traversing it. "And you Blake? What did you do after the fall of Beacon?" she asked.

"Did this just turn into that chat you always want with me?" asked Blake in response.

A smirk appeared on Winter's lips. "You are most certainly a sharp one" admitted the woman. "But yes, it is one of the many questions I had for you. Honestly most were concerning the White Fang but seeing as they are no longer an active threat... You are off the hook, as they say" she added.

"You were gonna interrogate her?" asked Yang as her lilac eyes looked over to Winter in surprise.

"Gently" nodded Winter.

"You can do gentle?" asked Yang once more.

To this Winter actually laughed, it was dignified and quiet but it was still a laugh despite the fact. "Do I seem so riddled with thorns to you Yang?" came her response.

Yang smiled at her seemingly happy response, "Nah, guess not. The whole up-tight thing doesn't help though" she answered.

"Up-tight?" came a suddenly more stern response as her eyes narrowed into the rear-view mirror towards Yang.

"Uh- I mean-" began Yang as she attempted to mend the insult. Before she could however she saw a smile appear on Winter's face, she was joking. "Pfft, okay, you got me that time" confessed Yang as she turned her attention back to the window with a grin.

Blake glanced to Winter from the corner of her eye, "What happened to your bike anyway?" she asked.

Winter adjusted the steering wheel once again. "Ah, yes. I had it shipped to Atlas before we left" she answered.

"Won't your father notice that?" continued Blake.

"If he does it is likely he will think it is being sent back for maintenance. I only ever have it done in Atlas" nodded Winter.

Yang spoke out from the rear seat of the car, "Hold on, won't he know you left the military or something?" she asked.

Winter shook her head, "No, not for a time. General Ironwood will ensure that information reaches him at a snail's pace" she answered.

"Huh... friends in high places I guess" said Yang as she once more idly tried to shove Neo away who continued to refuse to budge.

* * *

Some time later and the car had left the Forever Fall and moved upon a road that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, quite literally. It was dark and the only light came from the bright blue headlights of the car. Blake had her golden eyes focused ahead and had informed the rest that they appeared to be in wide opens plains and that the road continued on for miles, or at least for as far as she could see.

The inside of the car itself was dark now with only the interface at the front of the vehicle lighting up the faces of both Winter and Blake. In the back Yang looked even more annoyed as Neo had simply fallen asleep against her shoulder. Even now when she tried to shove her away she would somehow fall right back onto her, even when she shouldn't. This forced the blonde to ponder if she was actually asleep as she looked to the smaller woman's serene expression. The calmest Yang had seen on her yet.

"I think there's a few barns over to the right, way off our road though" spoke Blake as her eyes seemed to scan the darkness ahead.

"Nice to know there are at least some people out here. If not for the constant threat of Grimm I believe the countryside would be a lot more populated" answered Winter, her focus was a lot higher now as she drove in the dark.

Blake seemed uncertain as she continued to look out the car, "What's to say those barns aren't abandoned? We might still be alone out here" she answered.

Winter paused before glancing at the Faunus, "You are a very negative person, aren't you?" she asked.

"I- What? No" replied Blake, unsure of how to respond to such an accusation.

"She totally is" came Yang's voice from behind her.

Blake huffed and ignored Yang's words as her eyes surveyed their surroundings. "How long do we plan on going before rest?" she asked.

"How long can you stay awake?" asked Winter in response.

The Faunus raised a brow at her, "You're going to keep going until we're too tired?" she asked.

The woman nodded. "That was my intention. But if you would all rather stop for the night, we could do that too. Though setting a tent in the dark will be difficult, so unless Yang wants to sleep with Neo in the back..." she said, her voice trailing off.

Both Yang and Blake responded with "Nope" in unison, prompting a suspicious glance from Winter as her eyes seemed to drift between the two before setting back upon the road.

"Very well" confirmed Winter as the car gradually started to slow. "See anywhere we can park Blake?" she asked as her eyes strained to see through the darkness ahead.

"Some flat ground on the right coming up" replied Blake. The car slowed to a crawl as it turned right upon the road, its headlights lighting up a wide and flat space of grass. Though according to Blake this is what the entire place looked like. The car moved onto the grass and off the road. As Winter switched the engine off the headlights remained to light up the space in front of them.

"Right. Let's get to work" spoke Winter as she opened her door, a light inside the car switching on as she did so.

Yang was quick to open her own door and attempt to leave the car, though Neo's hand still clutched to her wrist, refusing to let go in her sleep. "Blake, give me a hand" said Yang as the Faunus exited the vehicle and stood besides her, eyes glaring down at the sleeping Neo. Without a need for further word Blake reached down to start prying Neo's hand from Yang's wrist. After successfully doing so and leaving the car entirely Neo was without her support and so fell forward in her seat. The sensation of dropping so suddenly seemed to wake her up as she slowly sat straight, glancing around and rubbing her eyes as if trying to find out where she was.

Winter had already opened the boot of the vehicle as Yang and Blake made their way to her. The tall woman instantly handed both of them two large rolls of fabric, the tents. She herself grabbed one as she led the two towards the front of the car. The headlights lit up the area so they could see what they were doing as they began constructing the tents. Neo left the car and approached the three as she idly watched, she still looked tired and seemed to show no intent to help.

Out of the three Yang was the last to put a tent up and decided it would be her own and Blake's, if only so that she wouldn't have to think she set one up for Neo. Looking over to the Faunus she could see she had already went and brought some bedrolls from the back of the car. She offered the blonde a wink with a smirk as she handed them over to her. Before she could move into the tent to put them down Neo had walked by the two with her own bedroll and simply entered the tent. Yang paused before looking to Blake who shrugged at her. "Uh, Neo, this one is ours" said Yang, glancing inside the tent to see Neo staring back. The smaller woman brought her hands to her jacket as she unbuttoned it.

Yang quickly pulled her head out from the tent, "We'll just... take the one you made..." she said to Blake as the Faunus stood confused before following after her.

"I shall remind you all that we move at the crack of dawn" came Winter's voice as she made her way back to the car, turning off the headlights and submerging the area in darkness.

* * *

Within their tent Blake and Yang had practically opted to share a single bedroll. The Faunus rested her head against the blonde's collarbone, one of her arms wrapped around her waist. Yang herself had her only arm around Blake's shoulders. Laying on her back she stared up to the top of the tent, she couldn't seem to fall asleep, wondering if it was because Neo was so nearby and the fact that in the past she had attempted to kill her.

"Stop thinking about her" whispered Blake as her head lifted slightly to look upon Yang.

The blonde sighed, "Yeah, should be thinking about you instead right?" she chuckled quietly.

Blake smirked softly as she propped herself up against her elbow, head leaning upon her hand. "Didn't think we'd actually end up going to Atlas..." she answered.

Yang nodded once, "Yeah... I've never been before. You?" she asked.

With a shake of her head she responded, "No. I was never part of any of the groups that went there. And most that did... they never came back" answered Blake.

"They must lock it down pretty tight up there then" said Yang as her hand idly placed itself upon the back of Blake's neck, her fingers stroking her pale skin gently.

Blake's cheeks flushed slightly as her golden eyes trailed off, "Guess we won't be on another date for some time?" she asked awkwardly.

Yang grinned, "No reason we can't call our trip to Atlas one right? Sure we might not get to walk on a beach or in a park and stuff. But at least we get to travel together, and like, share a tent and stuff" she said. Thoughts passed through her mind as she continued to look up at the image of Blake. She was difficult to see in the dark but she could make out her features as her eyes adjusted.

"So this is a date? Right now?" asked Blake as her own eyes returned to Yang. She felt Yang's fingers upon her neck stop their movements.

Yang paused as her eyes seemed to concentrate up at her. "Yeah..." she said, as if distracted.

Blake could see her girlfriend clearly with her own sight. "Yang?" she asked, wondering if something was amiss with her. She felt pressure upon the back of her neck, as if she was being pulled in. Once more Blake repeatedly herself uncertainly, "...Yang?"

"I've been... thinking lately..." came Yang's response as she pulled Blake's head closer towards her own. She couldn't see very well but she knew that the Faunus probably had bright red cheeks right about that point.

"About what...?" asked Blake, though she knew exactly what she meant. She was halted just an inch from Yang's face.

Blake didn't receive a response from Yang as she pulled her that final inch closer. Yang closed her eyes and pursed her lips as they came into contact with Blake's. She felt a sensation bubbling inside of her as her grip upon the back of her neck tightened. She could feel Blake's breath from her nose tickle at her skin. The Faunus produced a soft and quiet moan as she shifted her body slightly to rest upon Yang's, her hands coming up to cup the blonde's cheeks.

Yang could feel Blake press her body against hers as if craving contact. Being as lightly dressed as the two were she could feel her legs brush up against her own. It was nothing like she imagined it would be, kissing Blake. She thought it would be a simple action, but there was something else behind this. There was emotion, powerful emotion. As if she had been waiting for this moment since the day she met her. She wondered if those feelings were strong enough to surpass a simple crush and if Blake felt the same way about her in return.

Their lips parted from one another and she felt Blake exhale a sigh. Both of their eyes opened and lilac met with gold as they stared into one another. Though it was dark she saw Blake's smile, it was bright and full of life. "Yang..." she whispered with joy in her eyes.

Yang smiled back up at her before pulling her into another kiss to which the Faunus eagerly complied. The kiss itself was innocent with only their lips pressing together. But the meaning behind it was as strong as it could be. The two had fallen for one another. Yet to put those feelings into words would be something else entirely, to admit their love. They knew once they reach that threshold there was very little chance of going back to simply being just friends. For now however, and as often as they liked to do, they enjoyed one another's company. Unbeknownst to the small woman outside their tent who sat with her back turned to it, knees tucked in. A blank stare as she looked to the ground at her feet.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Her eyes opened as if anticipating the wake-up call that would surely come soon. The tent was brighter on the inside now as the morning sun shined upon it with a golden light. She found that her arm was wrapped firmly around Blake who lay atop her, face buried against her neck. Though it wasn't all perfect as she moved her hand to awkwardly push some of Blake's hair away from her face. The fact they both had such long hair no doubt meant there'd be a lot of mornings where the bed simply looked like a mess of it. Her own golden hair as usual was drawn out in every direction behind her head.

The heat was almost unbearable and no doubt a cause of the Faunus that had laid on top of her all night. "Blake" called Yang in a soft tone. Blake didn't seem to react at all, prompting Yang to call a little louder as she shook at her shoulder. "Hey Blake" she repeated.

To this the Faunus stirred and raised her head slightly, her golden eyes opening up to Yang. "Mm? What...?" she groaned in a tired fashion.

"Five minutes ladies!" came a yell from Winter outside of their tent.

"That" answered Yang to Blake as her head gestured to Winter's call. The Faunus sighed as she pushed herself off Yang and rolled onto her back. Yang made a large sigh of her own, though more for the fact she could breathe fully again.

It didn't take long for the two to get dressed and leave the tent. The first thing they saw was Winter, her hair was down which was an unusual sight as she was already half way through packing up her tent. Neo didn't seem to be anywhere in sight, something that Yang was thankful for. But that would not last forever as Winter spoke out once more after noticing the two. "Can one of you make sure she is awake?" she asked nodding towards Neo's tent. Yang glanced to Blake who got the message rather clearly. There was no way Yang was going to poke her head into her tent.

The Faunus approached Neo's tent and gave a call from outside, "Neo, are you awake?" she asked. Shortly after she realised she couldn't receive a response either way and so knelt down to look into the entrance. Inside the tent she saw Neo, sitting down in nothing but her pink underwear. She looked up to Blake and gave her a threatening stare. Blake responded in kind with narrowed eyes, "We're going, so get ready" she ordered.

Neo pointed at Blake and in a slow motion she brought her slender finger to her own neck and crossed it. It was a clear threat.

It agitated Blake further but she insisted on keeping her voice quiet so that only Neo could hear. "Just give up already" she spoke with venom in her words. The smaller woman stared back at Blake as she left her tent swiftly, her gaze then lowering as her expression softened into a distant frown.

"Well?" asked Winter as she looked to Blake. Yang was in the process of dismantling her own tent in a most blunt fashion.

Blake looked to Winter, her expression still angered as she replied, though it was clear she was trying to hide it. "I don't know. I think she's getting ready, she never really gave an answer" she said.

"So long as she is aware I am quite sure she will be ready in time" answered Winter, her tent rolled up under her arm as she made her way to her silver car, opening up the boot and placing the roll of fabric neatly into the back of the vehicle.

With the light of the morning the group could finally get a good look at the area around them. As Blake had described, it was wide open plains of grass and small hills. The road continued on straight into the distance before cresting a smooth hill. There were indeed barns in the distance but they didn't look to be in good condition. Above them the clouds were many but small and separated as if the morning sun was scattering and chasing them from the sky.

Yang, with some help from Blake, had dismantled her tent and brought it back to the car. Upon their way back to the vehicle Neo had finally emerged from her own tent and promptly began to take it down also. Though her expression was blank and her eyes always seemed to look more to the ground than they should. Yang chose to ignore it as she tossed the roll of fabric into the back of the vehicle, only to have Winter sigh at her as she took it out and placed it back in a more organized manner.

"It would not hurt you to be at least a little neat Yang" said Winter as her eyes peered over, brushing her fringe from her face to allow her to look upon Yang clearly.

Yang shrugged her shoulders, "It still fit didn't it? That's all that matters" she answered.

"Yes, that logic certainly worked for your apartment too..." replied Winter with a sarcastic tone.

Blake moved to the front passenger side of the car as her eyes looked ahead, "Any idea what's over the hill?" she asked.

"It has been some time since I travelled along this road... I believe it enters another forest" answered Winter as her own eyes looked over the car and into the same distance as Blake. Neo approached the rear side of the car besides Yang who instantly started walking away from her. The smaller girl paused as she watched her before her eyes slowly turned to the boot, silently placing her tent roll into the back. Winter glanced at Neo briefly before noticing everything had been packed as she shut the boot. "Appears we are prepared, everyone inside" she ordered as she made her way to the driver's side.

One by one each member of the group entered the vehicle in their usual seats with Blake and Winter at the front and Yang and Neo in the back. With a silent hum the car came to life as it reversed itself back onto the road and set off forward. Yang looked outside her window as the green hills passed by, it seemed like such a barren place yet the amount of green she saw told her that it was more full of life than the city of Vale at this point.

As yesterday she spotted from her peripheral vision that Neo had shuffled slightly towards her. This time however she had a plan as she turned herself around and placed her boots up on the seat next to her, effectively blocking any further advance from the short woman who now looked to her legs in a confused manner.

A rush of wind entered the vehicle as Blake opened her window, letting her right arm hang out of it as her hair waved with the breeze. In the back of the vehicle the wind became a lot more turbulent and sent Yang's hair flailing in every way it shouldn't. It got into her eyes and she felt something move her legs. As she brushed her hair from her eyes she found her legs were now resting on Neo's lap who had both her arms holding them down against her, preventing Yang from moving them away. Her plan had already been foiled as she gave Neo an annoyed look. The woman simply stared ahead through the windscreen of the car.

Winter peered into her rear-view mirror to see the strange scene of Yang and Neo, raising her brow at it. "Nice to see you two are getting along" she answered before looking forward again.

"We're really not..." muttered Yang as she attempted to move her legs, Neo's grip on them was too good. Blake had glanced back at the two and her jealousy could be seen shining through her expression as she bit the inside of her cheek in annoyance.

The vehicle crested the small hill at the end of the green plains, upon the other side they neared a forest as Winter had said they might. It was as green as the calm valleys they had just left. The trees themselves were pines and stretched high and tall. Once the car had entered the forest they found the road to be littered with brown pine leaves that had long since fallen and remained undisturbed for a day or two at least. It seemed to pad the road ahead of them as the car brushed them aside, making its way by. To the left and right of the vehicle was nothing but dense forest, there was little vegetation upon the ground as the great pines blocked out most of the light that reached the ground and even then, their fallen leaves preventing anything from growing through them. But light managed to continuously shine upon the road itself through the narrow clearing above them.

"Pines already?" asked Yang as she looked from her window. The smell of the forest air came into the car from Blake's open window, a pure and refreshing scent.

"Vale itself is already pretty far north" reminded Winter.

Yang looked over to the rear-view mirror to see Winter's eyes. "Yeah, I know. Just sometimes it's easy to forget. Nothing about Vale really says "North" if you get what I mean" she answered in return.

"Speaking of the north, you'll all be happy to know I have some coats in the back for when we get to Atlas" spoke Winter.

"Well at least somebody thought about that" said Blake as her eyes scanned the forest through the open window on her right.

Winter smirked, "I think ahead on every-" she paused as a rumble came from the car. Everyone's eyes turned to her in confusion. "-thing...?" finished Winter as she noticed the car slowing down.

"Did we seriously just break down...?" asked Yang in disbelief, looking outside to see they were decelerating.

Winter narrowed her eyes at the interface on the vehicle, "Don't be ridiculous, I never break down" she replied as she started to tap her finger against the interface multiple times. The car had now come to a complete stop. Blake also looked upon the interface alongside Winter as she noticed something.

"Winter... You made sure we had everything we need right?" asked the Faunus.

Winter looked to her and nodded, "Of course, why?" she asked in return.

"So it's a slim chance you would have forgot about something like... fuel... right?" continued Blake as her finger pointed to a blinking red meter on the interface at the front of the car.

The driver of the car seemed stunned at the possibility, or simply at a loss of words. "Really?" came Yang's voice from the back of the car.

Winter leaned back in her chair, resting her head against the top of it as she gave out a long drawn sigh. "Unbelievable" she muttered. After a pause she leaned up and opened the door of the car. Standing up and out of the vehicle as her head turned left and right for any sign of something that could help them. Failing that she reached into her pocket and pulled out her scroll. "This... can't be happening" continued Winter as she started to pace back and forth with her scroll in hand.

Blake popped up outside of her window as she sat on the door itself, arms leaning on the roof of the vehicle as she looked over at Winter. "What is it?" she asked.

"There's no signal, this forest must be too dense..." she replied as she held her scroll up to the sky in a vain attempt.

"So what now?" continued Blake, glancing to her left as Yang's door opened. The woman stumbling out of the car after having finally escaped from Neo's clutches.

Winter pondered as she pocketed her scroll. She looked to the car and then to both Yang and Blake. "There's only one thing we can do" she answered to the two. She took a step back towards her car and peered her head into the door, her eyes fixating upon Neo who returned the glance. "Can you steer?" she asked. To this Neo nodded once as she climbed over towards the driving seat. If she were any shorter she wouldn't have been able to look over the steering wheel.

"We're gonna push it?" asked Yang as Winter stood back outside the vehicle. The woman nodded back at her.

"Unless you have another idea?" she asked as she made her way to the back of the car. Blake pushed herself out from the window of the vehicle as she also made her way over.

"Guess it would've been too easy otherwise huh?" grumbled Yang as she followed after Blake.

Winter looked through the tinted rear window of the car, she couldn't see Neo at all due to the seat being taller than her. "Neo, ready?" she asked regardless.

The horn of the car sounded and made the three at the back jump in surprise. Winter shook her head as she braced herself up against the back of the vehicle and started to push. Both Yang and Blake assisting her to their best efforts. Slowly the car started to roll across the pine-covered road. Once they got the car moving it wasn't so bad, they just had to keep walking with it. "I'm kinda glad your car is small now" came Yang's voice. She was pushing the vehicle from between both Winter and Blake.

"What was wrong with it before?" asked Winter in response, finding it quite difficult to push the vehicle in her heels.

"Oh nothing, just, you know. The fourth person" answered Yang.

Winter gave a patronizing look towards Yang, "Be nicer to her" she said, her voice somewhat lowered in an attempt to hide her words from Neo.

"I can't, she's just so... you see what she does to me in the car. It's annoying" responded Yang, her own voice growing more quiet as a result of Winter's.

"Is you not being annoyed worth more than her combat prowess?" snapped Winter. "It is a small price to pay Yang, we already have her at a discount" she answered.

Yang gave Winter a glance of uncertainty, "We do?" she asked.

"Yes. Her kind is worth double what we're paying her. Though it leads me to believe that either she really wants to be by your side or that she has ulterior motifs. Let us both hope it is the former" replied Winter, stumbling slightly from her heels before regaining her balance.

"If she has other reasons for being with us than Yang, shouldn't we deal with her to prevent anything in the future?" came Blake's voice, her eyes were focused dead ahead.

A corner was coming up ahead as Neo appropriately began to turn it. "Her reasons may not be malicious. Unless I have proof we will do nothing, and if she does make an attempt on someone's life I am more than capable of taking her down" answered Winter once again with confidence.

"What if you don't notice she's doing something?" asked Yang.

"Just trust me" sighed Winter.

* * *

The three continued to push the car along the road, it was around an hour or so later and it didn't seem like they were getting anywhere as they finally halted. Yang leaned forward panting as Winter stretched her back before making her way towards the driving seat. "Neo, hop out. We are taking a break" said Winter as the short woman nodded, quickly making her way to the back of the car. Yang noticed this and started idly getting some distance from the vehicle and her. With a determined expression Neo opened the boot and made for the ice box. She picked up the first chilled can she found and turned to face Yang. With her boots clacking against the stone floor she made her way over to the blonde.

As she reached out to get her attention Blake passed in front of her, two cans in hand and a warning glare. Neo halted as Yang looked to Blake who offered her a drink, she accepted it with a smile, not even having noticed Neo behind her who continued to watch silently. Her eyes drifted to the ground as she turned to head back towards the car in a dejected manner. As she reached the boot a hand patted her upon the shoulder. Her mismatched eyes blinked and swapped colours as they looked back to see Winter. She held out a can of cream soda towards her. "Want to swap? You have the last apple one" asked the tall woman that towered over her. She offered Neo a gentle smile, as if she had noticed her failed attempts to get closer to Yang.

Neo hesitantly offered her can to Winter, who offered her one in return. The two swapped their beverages. The smaller woman looked back to Yang and Blake, they were talking, laughing. They were having fun. Once more Neo frowned to herself, her brow furrowing in slight frustration.

"If you want her to be happy then you have your work cut out for you" came Winter's voice again as she followed Neo's stare. Neo looked up at the woman with a confused expression, probably at the fact that somebody was talking to her like a person. Winter's icy eyes glanced back down at Neo. "Though something tells me you want to be the reason she's happy. If my assumptions are correct, right?" she asked. Neo's eyes glanced down as if in admittance. "Keep trying. She might not ever look at you the same way, but she might become a friend one day. Only... try different approaches, one might just work" nodded Winter as she gave Neo a second pat on the shoulder, "Good job steering" she praised before making her way back to the front of the car.

Neo watched as Winter left, her eyes lingering on her for a moment before looking back down to the can in her hand. With a snap and a fizz it opened as she smirked softly to herself. Perhaps she wasn't as alone as she first believed.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

As the wheel passed over the twig it gave out a loud snap. The car continued to progress slowly without fuel, at the back of it were Winter in a tight white shirt, Yang in her usual orange tank top and Blake who had since removed her white coat. In the driver seat sat Neo who continued to steer the vehicle. The three at the back seemed exhausted as pushing the vehicle had taken its toll upon them.

"Are you- sure- there isn't a- station nearby?" panted Yang as she pushed with her back against the rear of the vehicle.

Winter shook her head, she had not bothered doing her white hair up in its usual bun and so it fell down her back and over her shoulder. "Not that I- Know of" she replied, equally out of breath as she pushed with both hands against the boot.

"Can't Neo push?" came Blake's voice, she had chosen to brace her shoulder against the vehicle in order to push it.

"She is the lightest- so she steers" responded Winter as her eyes glanced over to Blake and Yang.

They couldn't argue with that logic as they kept up the pace, though what they wouldn't give to be in her position of just relaxing and steering the vehicle. They had been walking for some time now since the car had run out of fuel and there had been nothing but the continuation of the pine forest around them. It was a calming place to be sure, but if anything, it was not a place people would settle down in. Or so they thought.

"Wait up" spoke out Winter as she stopped pushing, prompting the two on her left to also halt. The woman's eyes narrowed at the right side of the road.

"What's up?" asked Yang as she took the moment to stretch her back, this action did not go unnoticed by Blake who tried to force herself not to stare at the blonde.

Winter took a few steps towards the right side of the road and Yang could see that she was stood before a small dirt path that cut into the forest. It was covered in some pine but it was visible enough to make out its shape. "Curious..." muttered Winter to herself as her icy eyes stared on into the distance, she could not see where the strange path led to.

Neo had stepped out of the car to stand besides her, as did Yang and Blake as all four looked down the path. "That's weird, why would there be a road out here?" asked Yang.

"Exactly what I am trying to figure out" replied Winter, she looked back to the three. "It could lead to someone that might be able to help, so two of us are going to investigate while the remaining two keep an eye on the car" she answered.

"Sure thing, I'll go with-" began Yang before she was cut off by the sound of Winter's voice.

"Neo" replied the woman as she finished Yang's sentence.

Yang looked to Neo and glared before returning her attention back to Winter, "No way" she answered.

"Yes way" mimicked Winter in a mocking fashion. "You two could use some time together, your squabbling has become a nuisance recently" she added.

"We can't trust her" stated Blake bluntly as she stood besides Yang. To this Neo glanced away from them.

"The reason you can't trust her is because you have yet to give her a chance to prove it!" raised Winter's voice as she took a step towards the two. Her intimidation was second to none as they both seemed shocked by her outburst, almost taking a step back from her advance. When neither gave a response Winter continued on, "Yang, Neo. Go find out where it leads. If you are on that path for more than a half hour come back" she ordered before stepping aside for the two.

Blake narrowed her eyes at Neo who led on, Yang hesitantly following behind her as she looked back to the Faunus and Winter. After they had passed from view Blake peered to Winter. "We can't help her if she attacks" she stated.

Winter's expression softened as she looked down to Blake. "Neo will not harm her. She had chances before and she never took them. You should worry more for yourself" she answered.

"Myself?" asked Blake. "Yang's the one she has an obsession over" she replied.

"And who is in the way of that obsession? I would not have sent you down that path with Neo, that would surely have had some dire consequences" answered Winter once more as she moved to the boot of the vehicle, opening it up.

Blake looked back towards the direction the two had walked into. "Why can't three of us go?" she asked.

"Are you in a relationship with her?" came a seemingly random question from Winter as she pulled out a chilled can, taking a gulp from it.

The Faunus was stunned by the sudden personal question, turning herself back towards Winter. "What?" she asked in a vain attempt to dodge it.

Idly Winter moved to the left side of the car, leaning against it as she pierced Blake with her gaze. "Are you, Blake Belladonna, in a relationship with her, Yang Xiao Long" she repeated in a patronizing manner.

The tone of her voice irritated Blake as she crossed her arms, "Why do you care?" she asked.

A smirk came upon Winter's lips as she looked down to her can, her voice seemed sharper than usual. "Because it turns my stomach" she answered harshly. Blake's eyes widened slightly at the outright insult towards her relationship with Yang. Then her expression turned to one of anger as she clenched her fists.

* * *

Each step was padded by the dried pine leaves upon the floor. Looking to her left she saw forest. To her right, even more forest. Forwards and she saw Neo leading her, her umbrella crossed behind her back as she held it with both hands, head turning left and right to scan her surroundings. She hadn't once looked back at Yang yet which seemed out of character for her as the two journeyed on. The silence felt awkward for the blonde but it was probably normal for Neo. Despite that she didn't like her she felt the need to make conversation, even if she couldn't receive proper replies.

"So... what do you think we'll find...?" asked Yang as her lilac eyes glanced away, not wanting to look at Neo as she spoke to her. The woman in front turned as she walked, now moving backwards as her eyes fixated upon Yang. She shrugged her shoulders at her before spinning on her heel again to resume walking forwards. Yang sighed to herself as she looked ahead once more.

In their silence they continued as something slowly came into view at the end of the path. It appeared to be an old cabin, long since abandoned. Stopping in front of the building the two examined it with their eyes. The door appeared to be holding on by one hinge, some of the windows were shattered with holes, a small shed-like building was attached to the left side of the cabin. There was even a hole in the roof from the way a beam of light seemed to shine down into the building seen from one of the windows.

The surrounding area itself appeared to have been cleared of pine trees with only stumps remaining, probably having been used to construct the cabin itself. Yang approached one of the windows and peered inside to find that the furniture was broken where the light shined down, it looked like it used to be a table. The rest that she could see was dark and dusty. "Doesn't look like anyone's home... Check the shed, there might be fuel or something" suggested Yang as she looked back to Neo who gave a single nod in response as she made her way to the shed-like structure.

Yang herself decided to investigate the main building as she reached for the door handle. As she pulled the door itself just seemed to fall right from its final hinge, rusted through. She took a step back as it landed with a thud in front of her, kicking up some dust from the dirt on the ground. Coughing lightly she made her way forward and into the building. The scent was of rotting wood as she searched. A broken chair here, table there, an old moth-eaten bed. It was unclear how long the cabin had been abandoned for but she could be sure nobody would be returning.

Looking to the walls she found no pictures, no trophies. Whoever lived here seemed like they might have simple been escaping the world and hiding themselves away for whatever purpose. And in a place like this they would surely have been difficult to find. The only reason herself and the others found it was because they were walking at a slow pace and had the time to observe their surroundings. But if they were in the car driving by? They wouldn't have believed there to be an isolated cabin out in the wilderness like this.

She heard a thud at the entrance as she turned back to see Neo, a red fuel container by her feet. "Oh you found some, talk about luck. Let's head back, doesn't seem to be anything left here" spoke Yang as she made her way towards the door. Only Neo didn't move and blocked the frame, her eyes focused upon her. Yang halted in front of her and appeared uncertain, "Neo?" she asked.

The silent woman shuffled awkwardly as she looked up at Yang, she blinked as her eyes turned white. Whatever she was trying to tell Yang she couldn't seem to think of a way to do it as she brought her hand up to scratch at the back of her neck.

"What?" asked Yang, she knew that Neo's white eyes displayed her in her most vulnerable state, or one that showed she was afraid or in pain.

Neo pointed a finger nervously at Yang, her eyes watching her in an almost desperate manner. But still the blonde did not understand. She glanced around cautiously before returning her eyes to Yang, with her hands in front of herself she made a heart-like shape.

Yang knew what she was attempting to convey after the gesture. "You like me or something?" she asked, sounding unsure.

Neo nodded three times in quick succession as she offered an innocent smile up to the blonde, seeming happy that Yang now understood her feelings towards her.

"I... That's nice I guess, but I don't feel the same way. I don't even really like you" replied Yang coldly, as if the confession meant nothing to her.

The smaller girl's smile started to fade quickly at her words. Her gaze lowered as she thought to herself. Perhaps Yang didn't fully understand the extent of her feelings towards her? Perhaps she believed her to have a simple fleeting fancy? She needed a way to show her, to express to her how she truly felt. She saw Yang attempt to leave and her eyes darted back up at her, her mouth opening as if to say something. But as had become usual for Neo, no sound escaped her lips. With pleading eyes all she could do was mouth her words to someone who wouldn't listen even if those words made sound.

Before Yang could leave Neo stretched an arm in front of her, blocking the way out proper as she continued to try and speak her feelings out to the woman. This earned her a glare from Yang who spoke with warning, "Get out the way" she said.

Nothing she believed to be normal had worked on the woman and her thoughts looked to what she had been taught by someone close to her. You take what you want, the world owes you. Those were the words he had taught her long ago, the words of the man she considered more of a father than her own. It was the logic she had grown up with, one that suited her in the past and was simply how she learned to look at everything. Her attempts to act as she saw others act had fallen short, her own ways seemed so much more simpler. There was no need for words, no need for treading around a subject. You just did what you wanted to do.

She saw that Yang made to push past her arm and she felt herself spring into action, as if by instinct. She placed a boot behind Yang's legs and slammed the flat of her palm against her chest, sending her falling backwards with a slam against the wooden floor of the cabin. Before Yang could even understand what was happening the smaller woman had straddled her, one of her hands pinning Yang's wrist to the floor.

You take what you want, the world owes you.

Those words rang continuously through Neo's mind as she blinked, both her eyes turning to a magenta shade as she stared down upon Yang. "What- What are you doing? Get off!" yelled Yang as she grit her teeth, struggling against the woman on top of her. But Neo would not move. Her left hand moved to Yang's face, her fingers softly brushing over her lips as a blush appeared on her cheeks.

You take what you want, the world owes you.

Once again she heard the words clearly. She wanted Yang so the solution was to simply take her, as the world owed her. But did it? She paused as she considered her logic. Would this truly convey her feelings or simply selfishly indulge in them? Would this bring her closer to Yang or push them further apart? She seemed frozen atop the blonde who by now had discovered what Neo may be attempting, as a result keeping her mouth firmly shut.

You take what you want...

...But the world didn't owe her this.

She blinked and her eyes returned to white, a frown crossing her face as tears started to well up in her eyes. She could take anything she wanted, but this? It was different. She couldn't do this to the person she felt so strongly about. The woman beneath her seemed to grow only more confused as the tears fell down upon her. Neo released her wrist as she stood up slowly, her eyes turning away in shame as she offered a hand down to help her up.

Yang hesitantly reached up to accept the hand as she was pulled up to her feet. After that she didn't even get a word as Neo had turned back towards the entrance, picking up the heavy fuel container as she started returning to the path from whence they came. Yang stood at a loss as she watched her, she didn't understand the extent of what Neo was thinking but she made the connection that she had decided against an inconsiderate deed. She turned away from it despite it being what she appeared to want. Maybe Neo truly wasn't as bad a person as she believed. For now she seemed to simply consider her a very conflicted individual, somebody that didn't understand how the world worked, or just didn't understand what they wanted.

She began following her back upon the path, remaining silent as her mind went over what had just transpired. Surely she should feel angry but Neo had halted herself of her own volition knowing that what she was doing was wrong. Perhaps Yang had been too harsh on her, perhaps Neo just needed help? Regardless she chose to keep the event to herself for the time being until she could think upon it further.

* * *

"I should have guessed it was only a matter of time until this came up" growled Blake as she glared at Winter who continued to lean against the car, their discussion had been developing over time.

"Do you blame me? You were White Fang" answered the woman in response, seeming as calm as ever.

"So me attacking their leader means nothing to you? Typical Schnee dogma! I'm a Faunus so everything I do has an agenda, is that it!?" yelled Blake, clearly furious by this point.

Winter chuckled softly, "So you may have had some redeeming qualities, that does not excuse the fact that you stole from my family and have yet to answer for your crimes" she answered.

"I saved the people on that train! I never wanted the White Fang to become what they did, you can't pin it all on me!" continued Blake, her voice straining from the yelling.

"No I can't, but I can still judge you for what you are. Let us be clear Blake. I do not mind you as a person, but this... thing you have going with Yang? It's frankly sick. A Human and a Faunus? It's absurd" answered Winter, standing up from the car before idly tossing her empty can over her shoulder, the car, and into the forest.

Blake had to control her emotions, she was letting Winter get the better of her but she seemed to know exactly what buttons to press. With her voice forcing itself to try and remain as calm as Winter's she replied. "Look... I get it... You and Weiss suffered because of the group I was a part of. But if you're going to ask me to break up with Yang then I'd sooner join the White Fang again" she answered.

Winter's eyes narrowed sharply at Blake. "When you find something disgusting, what do you do?" she asked. Another one of her rhetorical questions. Blake didn't reply as Winter nodded once, "That is right, you take it out of the equation. Remove the offence" she answered.

Blake turned and folded her arms, "When I first saw you I feared you'd be just like this. Stupid of me to think the rumours might be false..." muttered the Faunus.

"Just keep it out of my sight" replied Winter harshly as her eyes continued to glare into the back of Blake's head.

It was then they saw Neo and Yang approaching from the path, Neo with the red fuel container in hand and still looking rather upset, though her tears had been brushed aside. Yang behind her looked over to Blake, raising a brow at her tense expression.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

After having been refuelled the silence in the car proved to be awkward. For a reason Yang did not yet understand Blake refused to speak to Winter. And in turn Winter made no attempt to speak to the Faunus. She glanced to her right to see Neo, but rather than her trying to be near Yang she seemed to be resting her head against the window opposite her, her eyes looked tired. She understood why perhaps Neo was in a supposedly forlorn mood but Winter and Blake were a mystery to her.

The group had finally left the pine forest to find themselves driving towards a mountain road that snaked between the peaks of stone that were soon to come. "Hey, those are some pretty cool mountains" commented Yang in a small attempt to break some of the silence.

She received a first response from Winter who eyed her from the rear-view mirror. "We must be getting closer to the port, I do remember mountains" she answered before her eyes locked forward again.

In her attempt to keep the conversation going Yang replied, "How's the road ahead?" she asked.

"Surprisingly well maintained, we should not have an issue traversing through" responded Winter.

Yang nodded slowly as she thought to keep up her momentum. "Hey Blake, you been this north before?" she asked, turning her attention to the Faunus.

"No, never as north as the Forever Fall" replied Blake, her voice seemed saddened and she never gave Yang much a chance to continue the conversation.

As a result silence settled back in. With a quiet sigh Yang looked to her window. To the right of the car there was open fields that led to a distant part of the mountain chain. Ahead the road aimed straight for them and to the left was nothing but a sheer cliff far off beyond more green fields, no doubt the ocean lay just over that edge. An idea struck her mind as her attention turned to Winter. "Hey Winter, couldn't we have just got a boat from Vale?" she asked.

"Any transport in or out of Vale would have been watched. This was our best choice, trust me on that" answered Winter. And again the silence arrived.

Yang leaned her head against the window in boredom as she watched the mountains draw closer. She was hoping they could stop soon so she could ask Blake if she knew why everyone seemed so distant. For now though she would have to endure the awkward atmosphere. Her eyes briefly glanced over to Neo, she was still leaning against her side of the car, she hadn't even looked at Yang since they got back from their trip for the fuel.

* * *

The car came to a halt outside of the mountains. The sun was still up which prompted Yang to ask, "Why are we stopping? We can keep going a little longer right?"

Winter glanced left and right as if looking for a good spot to park the car. "There will not be anywhere to set up tents ahead, we are better off staying here for the rest of the day so we can get a morning start" she answered, spotting a nice location as she turned the car from the road and onto a flat area besides it.

"How much time have we even got until it gets dark?" asked Yang as Winter opened her door, Blake and Neo doing the same.

"Hour or two I would assume" replied the woman before stepping outside and closing the door shut behind her. Yang exited the vehicle to find the air was far more chilly than it was in the pine forest. She held her one arm across herself and shivered.

Blake paused in front of the blonde as she stood close, "You okay?" asked the Faunus in a quiet voice, her eyes briefly scanning over to Winter who was busy searching through the boot of the vehicle.

Yang smiled at Blake, "Yeah, just cold. What about you?" she asked in return, unlike Blake she did not limit the volume of her voice.

The golden eyes of Blake cautiously glanced around before looking directly into Yang's, "We'll talk about it later okay?" she answered quietly.

With a confused expression Yang gave a nod, "Sure thing Blakey" she answered before the two made their way to the boot. Winter turned to hand Neo a tent roll before removing a second from the boot and giving it over to Yang. "Thanks" commented Yang as she and Blake started looking for a good spot to put up their temporary shelter.

As they did so Yang took another look at Neo, she seemed to be struggling with putting up her tent, maybe she didn't even know how to. But she wasn't about to help her as she turned back to her own. "Why do you keep looking at her?" asked Blake, once more keeping her voice low.

Yang shook her head, "Nothing, just... she's acting a bit weird, like, not herself?" she responded.

"It looks like a good thing if you ask me" answered Blake. She glanced over to see Winter arrive besides Neo's side who, after watching her for a moment, sighed as she began helping her. "She can't even put up a tent without help" spoke Blake.

"Hey, neither can I" said Yang as she smirked at the Faunus.

Blake frowned, "That's not fair" she said to which Yang jokingly tapped her against the shoulder with her fist.

"Come on, let's just get it done" smiled Yang as she continued in her attempts to put the tent up. And surely after some time the task had been completed. The sun was lowering in the west but still provided plenty of light.

All three tents had been put up. Winter had made her way back to her car, having opened up the hood. She had removed her coat leaving her in only her tight shirt as she started to fiddle around with the engine of her vehicle. Neo sat outside her own tent with her eyes staring idly up at the mountains, her knees tucked to her chest. Blake and Yang sat outside their own tent besides one another. The Faunus rested her head upon Yang's shoulder as she spoke quietly, eyes staring over at Winter as she worked on the engine.

"When you were gone..." began Blake, whispering. She caught her girlfriend's attention as she looked down to her, her arm wrapped around her back. "I spoke with Winter. She... Disagrees with us" she answered.

"Disagrees with us? What do you mean?" asked Yang with a curious glance over at Winter.

"She doesn't think that a Human and a Faunus can be together. She hates it in fact" answered Blake, her head turning more towards Yang with her golden eyes peering up at her.

Yang's expression twisted in uncertainty, "You're sure...? That doesn't sound like her at all. She's nice" she answered.

"I wouldn't lie to you Yang" replied Blake softly.

The blonde frowned over at Winter as she heard the news. It really didn't sound like something she'd say to her, not from who she knew her to be. But Blake was right, she wouldn't lie to her, not with the relationship they shared now.

Winter wiped her brow as a black smudge painted itself upon her forehead. She stood straight and placed her hands on her hips as she looked over to the small makeshift camp. At first she noticed Blake and Yang practically cuddling against one another. Winter's expression showed that she didn't seem to care however as her eyes turned to see that Neo was staring right at the two with her usual blank stare, as if she was at a loss. To this Winter narrowed her eyes, looking back to Blake and Yang. "The smallest things..." she muttered to herself as she sighed. Her eyes returned to Neo as she called out her name. "Neo! Can you come give me a hand with this!?" she yelled. The small woman's eyes snapped over to Winter in surprise before she stood up to her feet and nodded, briskly making her way over to the front of the vehicle. Winter gestured to the engine, "I just need you to hold this for me" she answered. When Neo leaned down into the engine Winter looked over her and towards Blake with eyes narrowed. Upon noticing this the Faunus seemed to whisper something to Yang before the two retreated into their tent.

Neo stared up at Winter as she held onto a seemingly useless component of the engine, it didn't really need holding, it was just something to distract her. Winter nodded at the smaller woman with a smile as she moved back into the engine to continue her work.

* * *

Blake sat down in her tent with a drawn sigh, "See what I mean?" she asked as she looked up to Yang who sat opposite her.

"I still don't get it though, why would she have a problem?" asked Yang.

"I told you when I first heard you were getting help from her remember? She's like Weiss only... more upset about it?" replied Blake, unsure on how to exactly word it.

Once more Yang frowned, "I'll... talk to her at some point. She's my friend after all" she replied.

Blake's golden gaze lowered, "You don't think it's actually... strange, do you? That we're together?" she asked.

Yang stared intently at Blake for a second. She never gave much thought to the public view of a Human and Faunus relationship, they seemed close enough in similarities that it shouldn't be an issue. For example, the only thing that set Blake apart from a human was her ears and the fact she could see in the dark. Other than that it seemed just fine to Yang. With this in mind she shuffled towards Blake, grasping her hand into her own. "If it was strange I wouldn't be kissing you" she answered.

The Faunus glanced up at Yang uncertainly, "But you're not kissing-" she began before she was cut off. Her eyes widening in surprise as Yang planted her lips against her own. The kiss was soft and delicate, only lasting a few seconds before the blonde pulled away smirking.

"To me you're not a Faunus, or an ex-member of the White Fang. To me you're just Blake, and nothing is gonna change that. Got it?" replied Yang.

Blake gave a smile and nodded, "Yeah, got it" she answered with her spirits heightened. She could feel Yang's hand squeeze hers and she noticed her giving her a rather sultry gaze. It was enough to fluster Blake, rare it was that she saw that expression and it never ceased to make her heart skip a beat.

Yang pushed forward against Blake, causing her to fall down onto her back while she lay atop her. Blake's eyes glanced from side to side nervously as if unsure how to respond. "Besides... we can't bother her if she can't see us right?" asked Yang as her hand moved up to stroke at the deep red cheek of the Faunus.

Blake awkwardly chuckled as her hands moved to slide around the small of Yang's back, softly holding her against herself. Yang sure weighed more than she did and she could feel it pushing down on her. She didn't mind it though, the fact she was laying on top of her like this sent her other senses wild. "I guess..." spoke Blake in return as her eyes trailed to Yang's lips.

"What are you getting so flustered about Blakey?" grinned Yang. She knew the reason, she just wanted to tease her girlfriend. In response Blake softly chuckled, failing to word anything as Yang continued on. "Cat got your tongue?" she asked.

The Faunus rolled her eyes, "I'm going to get really tired of puns you know" she answered.

"Come on Blake, I'm _paw_ -sitive I can _purr_ -suade you to laugh at some of them" continued Yang with a dumb grin. She received only a dissatisfied stare from Blake. "Yeah okay, I'm pro- _cat_ -stinating now" she finished before leaning her face down towards Blake, once again pressing her lips against hers. Blake ran her hands up Yang's back as they kissed. The feeling of her weight pushing down on her, the scent of her skin and the sensation of the soft press of her lips. She could never tire of this experience.

She felt Yang's hand entangle itself with her black locks of hair, gripping firmly. The Faunus placed one of her hands upon the back of the blonde's neck as she continued to delight in the kiss. She opened her eyes slightly to see that Yang had done the same. Lilac and gold locked together. Yang's eyes appeared with intent as she felt something push at the entrance of her lips. Blake's blush only grew stronger as she clued on to what she wanted and she would have been a fool to reject her. Slightly she parted her lips as she felt Yang's tongue slide between them. The heat rising within her body became more noticeable as she wrapped her arms tightly around her partner. This is exactly what she wanted.

Their breathing became heavier as the two were locked into a passionate kiss. Yang's grip upon Blake's hair tightened in excitement, tugging upon it slightly. It pained the Faunus only briefly but it wasn't anything she couldn't deal with. For the longest time she had expected Yang to be rough, until now it had failed to make an appearance. She gave out a soft moan as the kiss continued, she felt sensations she had never experienced before as one of her hands moved down Yang's back and daringly placed itself upon her rear with a firm grip. To this Yang chuckled into the kiss before the two had to part in order to breathe. They remained close as they both took an intake of air back into their lungs, panting. After a moment Yang spoke softly, "Wow, guess this makes me a huge lesbian now" she answered with her grin.

Blake sighed and slapped at her rear harshly, "You really know how to ruin a good moment, you know that?" she laughed.

Yang bit her lip at the treatment before returning a reply, "Hey, it's a real concern. Until you happened I didn't know what I was" she answered. As much as she tried to make it a concern she couldn't help but keep her joking tone.

"Can we do it again though?" asked Blake as she raised an eyebrow up at Yang.

"Pfft, like you need to ask" smirked Yang as she pressed back down against the Faunus.

* * *

"Try now" came Winter's voice as she glanced around the side of the uplifted hood. Neo was sat in the drivers seat as she nodded over at the black-stained Winter. Her shirt was covered in dark smudges from the engine, as well as some parts of her face. Neo switched the ignition and the car started up. Winter listened intently to the sound of the engine, after a short while she held a thumb up to Neo. "Okay, that should do it. Switch it off" she said.

Neo did as ordered and switched off the ignition and stepping out of the vehicle afterwards. She had done a lot less of the engine work and as a result only the tips of her fingers were covered in black. She tilted her head at Winter curiously.

Winter raised a brow back at her, "What is it?" she asked. Neo pointed her finger at her face which prompted the woman to look upon her reflection in the window of the car. Upon noticing the state of her face she smirked to herself, "Ah. Great. Should have expected that much, hopefully we will run into a stream or a lake at some point" she answered turning back to Neo. She casually placed her hands on her hips as she spoke to her, "Good job today Neo" she praised.

A simply happy smile drew itself across Neo's lips as she looked up to Winter, nodding at her praise in thanks. She looked around to see that Yang and Blake had returned to their tent. Her smile was shaken slightly but she didn't frown this time, something Winter took note of. The tall woman was sure she could mend what was left of the girl, it would only benefit them if she managed it after all.

"Been to Atlas before Neo?" she asked as she closed the hood and sat upon it.

Neo turned her mismatched eyes back to Winter and shook her head before giving her a curious gaze.

"Are you okay with the cold?" continued Winter with her questions. This time Neo paused, her smile once more wavered as she nodded. "I have also been meaning to ask... Why do you not write your words down?" she added.

Neo's face could only be described as briefly haunted as she looked to her feet. She shook her head to herself without making eye contact with Winter. She clearly had her reasons for not doing certain things she was capable of. Or at least it seemed to go deeper than simple stubborn nature or just spite.

Winter smiled apologetically towards her, "Okay, no more questions from me. Want something to drink?" she asked. Neo looked up to her, her expression mildly upset now as she nodded.

The sun was dipping under the cliff to the west as the valley started to fall into darkness.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_

 _Man, I really hate doing these AN's._

 _So I'm here to just put in a few words again, mostly some concerns of mine. Not for myself, but for the readers and where they feel comfortable setting the bar. I know this is my fic that I'm writing but I feel like I need to gauge what those who read it are looking for._

 _So first off, simple question. Last few chapters have been slowly introducing some darker elements, like racism and the whole cabin thing. I wanted to ask what you guys think about it? Does it make you uncomfortable? Does it take away from your experience? Or does the added layer of conflict add to it? The fic is rated as M but until now I've barely touched on anything that would lead to that rating. So, guys, thoughts? Less of, more of? I still know exactly where I'm taking the story but for these subplots on the side I think it'd be good to get some feedback._

 _Secondly I just wanted to thank a few people in particular, full on mushy appreciation mode. These people are some of the ones I've taken note of having commented on most chapters and stuck with the story so far._

 _So a huge thanks to KuchenJaeger (even though I've started going against your headcanon), Generic Name Guy (I've never been able to thank you yet, you're awesome), BurstEdge (Short and to the point), Pixcat (Shipping mayhem), Rebkos (Resident Anti-Neo guy), The_Failure (For not being much of a failure at all) and finally Matthew998 (Being mostly on point)._

 _And an extra thanks once again to everyone else who takes the time to read even a sentence._

 _Hopefully you won't have to listen to me blabber on again for a while, thanks._

 _\- 2101817_


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The chilled morning air brushed against her pale skin as she stood out from her tent, her hand moved to push her silver-white hair over her shoulder as her icy blue eyes looked up to the mountains ahead. She was the first awake per usual as she turned her attention to the two other tents. She reached a hand into her pocket and pulled out her scroll, opening it up. Swiftly moving through her contacts she resumed her morning routine as she landed her finger on one contact in particular, Weiss Schnee. She held the scroll up to her ear as it rang, eyes once more looking to the mountains. Clouds sparsely dotted the morning sky that day, the sun barely having moved over the mountains to the east of her.

The scroll continued to ring.

The sound of the ringing had become common to her. Ever since Weiss returned to Atlas she had attempted to call her every morning, the result was always the same as she closed her scroll, looking at the picture of her sister upon it as she paused. Closing her eyes with a gentle sigh she placed the scroll back into her pocket. Now standing idly she thought to waking the others up but soon realised she didn't have to, at least not yet as Yang appeared from her tent. She looked as tired as could be expected, rubbing her eye with her hand as she spotted Winter.

Yang approached the woman, stumbling slightly in her steps before stopping before her. "Hey, Winter..." she spoke, voice as tired as her expression.

"Yes Yang?" asked Winter in response as her cold gaze looked her over.

"Can we talk? Like... privately" asked Yang as she lowered her arm to her side. Winter gave a single nod and gestured for her to follow as she was led to the silver car. It was far enough that nobody else in their tent could hear them.

"What is on your mind?" asked Winter calmly.

After an awkward pause as if she didn't want to ask, Yang spoke. "Blake said you're like... not okay with us...?" she said, still not wanting to truly believe what she had learnt was true.

With a wry smile Winter glanced off towards the mountains as she folded her arms. "I should have guessed those words would reach you..." she began before lowering her head, then turning to face Yang directly. "It is true that I do not think as highly of the Faunus as I should... but..." she stopped, idly tapping one of her fingers against her folded arms. "If I had told Blake to stop affectionate actions for Neo's sake, do you believe she would have listened to me?" she asked.

Yang seemed uncertain as she glanced back to her tent, "Uhm..." was all she replied with.

"It is no secret she despises her, and likely would continue to act as such simply to spite the girl" continued Winter's voice as Yang turned back to her.

"So... you don't have a problem with us being together?" she asked.

Winter looked thoughtful as she responded, "My... experience with the Faunus is not a good one but over the years I have learned to cope, or simply ignore. While I still hold hatred for the White Fang it would be absurd for me to damn an entire race to their actions alone. So while I may not directly approve of your relationship with a Faunus... I will not go out of my way to separate or discriminate. If only because it seems to make you happy" she finished.

"So wait, why do this to yourself for Neo's sake? Blake hates you now. Sure she'll listen to you like this but is it really worth it?" asked Yang once more.

"You really want to give Neo more of a reason to go for Blake's throat?" asked Winter as she raised a brow at her.

Yang frowned, "It bothers her that much?"

"It seems to" replied Winter as she peered briefly towards Neo's tent. "I would like to fix her. Or what is left of her... She could become a powerful ally if we can earn her loyalty and trust without money" she added.

Yang looked to the dirt beneath her feet as she spoke, "Uh, yeah. Guess we already made some progress, she isn't trying to kill me any more" she commented. "I was a bit worried when you sent me off with her back in the forest though" she added as she looked back up at Winter.

"Ah, yes, did anything of note occur during that?" asked Winter in return.

Yang gave thought to telling Winter about the event at the abandoned cabin, seeming unsure. Though Winter caught onto her expression and gave her a piercing stare as her eyes narrowed uncertainly. "Yeah... Just... Don't tell Blake?" she asked beforehand, Winter nodded once. "There was this... cabin. I went inside while Neo checked the shed, and when I turned around she was blocking the way out..." she said.

"Go on..." spoke Winter softly.

"She tried to..." Yang looked away, as if in shame. "She was on top of me... and I couldn't move my arm..." she answered.

Winter's expression turned to that of outrage as she looked to Neo's tent, losing any sympathy she had for the girl. "She-...!?" began Winter in disbelief.

Yang looked up to her, "Wait, no she... Not fully. She stopped herself before she did anything. She looked upset and helped me back up. She hasn't even looked at me since" she said with haste before the woman did anything she might regret.

Her blue eyes looked back to Yang, her expression softening into an apologetic one. "Yang... I am... I'm sorry. I did not think she would actually..." she frowned to herself, knowing that she had caused Yang to experience such a situation.

"It's okay. Well, no it's not okay, it was actually pretty messed up but what I'm trying to say is" paused Yang with a sigh, "I don't blame you. In fact if anything, the way it turned out was for the best. Like you said, she's getting better and I think it... ugh, no matter which way I try to word it, it sounds wrong. Because of what she even thought about doing..." responded Yang.

"Do you want me to discipline her?" asked Winter firmly.

Yang blinked in surprise, "What like... slap her on the wrists?" she asked.

"I was more thinking just yelling at her. Very thoroughly and harshly" responded Winter.

The blonde shook her head, "Nah... I don't think you have to. She's kinda doing it to herself I think anyway" she answered.

Winter pinched the bridge of her nose with finger and thumb as she closed her eyes, seeming now annoyed with herself. "Ugh... Well if she really regrets what she almost did I will continue to try and help her... Hopefully that being the worst of it all" she said.

"She... told me she likes me. Well, not told, kinda... hand shapes and stuff..." said Yang.

"You only learnt that now...?" asked Winter as she peered back up at Yang.

Yang gave Winter a shocked look, "You knew?" she asked.

Winter could only groan to herself as she rubbed her palm against her face. "I thought the whole dense thing was an act..." she muttered.

"Well, I know that you like me" spoke Yang as she narrowed her eyes, not taking kindly to being called dense it seemed.

"What?" asked Winter as she looked back up to Yang, the most genuinely confused expression upon her face.

Yang nodded, "Yeah, I've known that for a while now. It's okay though, I won't hold it against you or anything" she added.

"Yang" said Winter.

"Yeah?" asked Yang.

"No" she stated followed by a pause of silence. "Besides, dating a friend of my sister's would be fairly... strange. Not to mention I am a few years older than yourself".

"Oh, so you don't like me like that?" asked Yang, she herself seeming surprised at the revelation before adding, "How old are you anyway?"

Winter's eyes narrowed at the question. "I do not, and stop asking silly questions" she replied.

"Uh- Sorry" apologized Yang, having just realised she was treading on thin ice. She attempted to shift the topic, "So... we're cool now? With me and Blake I mean" she asked.

"Was that another pun?" sighed Winter, shaking her head. "Yes we are on good terms. But I need to ask you... Are you willing to halt your shows of public affection for Neo's sake? And if so feel free to tell Blake the truth, that is, if you can convince her to do the same" said the woman.

Yang nodded, "Yeah... I can do that. Both of them. Though why didn't you just come to me first?" she asked.

"It was before I knew you had... somewhat forgiven her. You are very stubborn after all and likely would not have have cared if I told you the same as I told Blake. She was the easier choice at the time" responded Winter.

"Uhhh... Yeah. I can see how you might've got that idea..." admitted Yang as she idly glanced from side to side. "So... that's all that out the way..." she said.

Winter nodded in response, "Thank you for approaching me about the subject" she said. "I will be getting the others up shortly, we ought to continue our journey".

Yang gave her a smile, "Thanks to you too Winter" she answered, holding out her one arm in gesture for a hug.

The taller woman glared down at her, "Are you going to mistake it for something more than a friendly hug?" she asked.

"Just buddies, I promise" chuckled Yang.

Winter breathed a laugh through her nose as she smiled and closed her eyes. She opened them again to look upon Yang, "Okay, "buddies" it is" she replied before extended her arms out to offer Yang a friendly embrace. After they pulled apart Yang began making her way back to her tent as Winter turned to face her car, opening the driver's door as she leaned inside while performing her personal maintenance checks upon the vehicle as she so often liked to do. Everything had to be perfect at all times, such were her standards.

* * *

Once more the four were resuming their journey as the silver car passed through the winding valley roads of the mountains. The road itself snaking its way from between them as they drove alongside a shallow flowing river. The residents of the car itself seemed more lively now, Yang had informed Blake of Winter's thoughts on them and the reason she had said the things she had. Yet the Faunus still held a grudge against the woman for even speaking those words to her and so she rarely spoke to Winter. Neo was acting as she had since they left the pine forest, tucked away in her own corner of the car with her lost expression staring out from the window.

Yang glanced out the window to her right to see the fast flowing river. It was bordered with small tufts of grass, it was all that managed to grow between the gravel and the boulders. It was definitely rough terrain and seemed the complete opposite of the areas full of life that they had already passed through. Per usual the road was empty and devoid of any other cars. The car hit a bump in the road that caused everyone to jump slightly. Yang hit her head against the ceiling of the car as a result

"Ah-! Winter I thought you said this road was good?" asked Yang as she rubbed her head.

Winter's eyes kept to the front, "It was. Five years ago" replied Winter as they hit another crack in the road.

"It's going to ruin the car..." muttered Blake as she looked out her window.

"You will find no better vehicle than one with precision Atlas engineering. Why I feel insulted you even suggested we could break down" replied Winter in a casual tone as she turned another corner. On their left was a sheer cliff that made part of one of the mountains.

"We did break down" replied Blake as she looked to her.

Winter shook her head, "That was not a fault of the machine, that was me" she replied.

Yang leaned forward slightly as she spoke, "You know I didn't think you were such a car person" she said to Winter.

Winter briefly glanced over her shoulder at the blonde, "It is hard not to appreciate the fine craftsmanship, the sheer dedication and time that went into creating a near perfect machine of transport. Not only is it greatly efficient in its designated task but it has the luxury and style to match. The same can be said for my bike too. Which I dearly miss" she answered.

"I need to show you my bike sometime, I think you'll like it" spoke Yang with a grin.

"If it was made in Vale it is going to be hard to impress me. Though I admit they can have their charm, the loud and unwieldy contraptions that they are" replied Winter. "Nothing like a machine capable of two hundred and twenty miles per hour straddled between your thighs" she added casually as she turned another corner. Blake and Yang stared at her. After the awkward silence she looked to the two. "What?" she asked at a loss.

"Nothing" answered Yang as she and Blake turned their attention elsewhere.

Winter shrugged it off and simply continued on with her task of driving. They turned another corner as they entered upon a downhill slant in the road that led towards a lake nestled between the mountains. It stretched on far and the road seemed to ride alongside its left. It caught the attention of most in the car apart from Neo who had fallen asleep. "Now that's a lake" said Yang as her lilac eyes scanned it.

"About time, I could do with washing my face" said Winter who still had some black smudges on her otherwise immaculate pale skin from the day before.

The silver car drove silently down the slant as it came upon the side of the lake. It slowed as it moved onto the gravelly floor, the sound of its wheels crunching over small stones as it came to a halt. Shortly after and the doors started to open with three people leaving the vehicle. Winter looked to Neo's door and noticed she was still asleep. With a soft sigh she opened it and readied her arm to catch her as she almost fell out of the car. The drop having woken her up as her eyes searched her surroundings before finally sitting up straight and exiting the vehicle properly.

Between them and the lake was a wooden log fence, battered and worn by the elements. It appeared sturdy enough however as Yang climbed over it followed by Blake. They approached the lake's still shores, the gravel mixing with the dirt upon the ground. Around the lake were a few large boulders and trees that sprung up from the softer terrain. "Pretty nice place. I wonder how many people come here?" she asked as she looked out over the water that took on a mix of blue and silver as it reflected the grey faces of the mountains around it as well as the sky.

"If I would have to guess? We are the first it has seen in some time. Look, there is not even litter here" answered Winter as she glanced around their surroundings. Yang sat upon one of the boulders next to the lake, Blake soon joining her. Winter moved to the boot of the car as Neo followed after her. Upon opening it she went for the icebox and took out a few cans, handing two over to Neo and taking two into her own hands as they moved to the others. Neo held up a can to Yang who accepted it, the small woman glancing away as she did so. Winter held one to Blake who did the same.

"It's cool when you think about it. That all of this stuff is out here, but nobody ever comes to see it. It's like... untouched" spoke Yang before opening her can with her teeth.

"I'm surprised we didn't find any Grimm yet, the area outside of the kingdoms is normally full of them" said Blake as she idly picked up a pebble, tossing it along the surface of the water as it skipped several times before sinking.

"Most of them migrated to Vale itself both during the subway incident and the Battle of Beacon. It appears to have left the surrounding wilds quite... desolate" responded Winter as she took a gulp from her drink before kneeling down besides the lake, dipping her other hand into the water before returning it to rub at her face in order to remove the offending black marks. Neo sat on a smaller boulder besides Winter as she stared out into the lake, taking small sips from her cream soda.

Yang glanced up at the sky as she spoke "Well I'm just glad we get to see it, I can see why some people go on road trips now. It's gonna suck when we're done though" she said.

Blake smirked, "There's still plenty to see. Even when we get to Atlas, it's going to be a whole new experience for us" she answered.

"She is right. You best savour the time we have had so far" smiled Winter to herself as she stood back up, her face now wet from the water as she brushed her hair back.

The four continued to look out over the lake, the sun now perched above the eastern mountains and shining down upon them and the water. While quiet and mostly uneventful the trip had surely become something of an experience. Their next stop according to Winter would be the northern port after the mountains which would finally take them to Atlas.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

With the sun now at its height in the sky the car continued on through the mountain paths, travelling along its winding roads. Other than the lake they had stopped by there wasn't much else to see than the vista of the other stone mountains that surrounded the area. The further in they continued the road only became rougher, though thankfully the car itself held up against the abuse.

The road extended up briefly as the vehicle crested its apex only to reveal the end of the mountain trail as the road then descended down into a valley. Before them they could see the wide ocean in the distance, they had finally reached the north side of the continent. The port could also been seen, a small grey town with multiple docks and ships coming back and forth. Gulls flew over the port, mostly secluding themselves to certain boats that no doubt carried a variety of fish.

"That's it right?" asked Yang as she leaned between the two front seats of the vehicle to get a better look.

"It is, hopefully we can find ourselves transport relatively fast" answered Winter as the vehicle made its way down towards the port.

The car came to a checkpoint outside of the town as it slowed to a halt besides a window. A man peered out through it and Winter needed simply show him a card. His eyes widened and he nodded silently to the woman before allowing her to continue on. Within the town were few buildings, though mostly residential or industrial. There were maybe two stores that they passed, it was nothing like Vale which had almost anything you would need. Citizens could be seen walking the streets, usually alone and mostly people who appeared in their thirties or higher. There was an almost gloomy presence to the town, as if all the joy had been sapped from it for there only to be hard labour left in its place.

Turning a corner the vehicle continued on through the town, eventually coming nearer to the port. There was another checkpoint coming up and once more Winter slowed the car down to stop at its window. She stood out from the car and approached the small box-like building as she began conversing with the man behind the window. Yang could only hear some of the words she spoke of, such as finding out when the what the next outgoing vessels to Atlas would be. Once more she saw her flash her card which no doubt stated her identity as the man behind the window quickly got to work, searching through his documents.

After a short while Winter got back into the car, closing the door and glancing over to all three. "We appear to have luck on our side, there is a ship preparing to head out now. Shipping furniture apparently" she answered before the car passed through the checkpoint and onto the dock itself.

"You're not worried they're going to tell your father you were here?" asked Blake as she looked over to the woman.

"They would not be able to contact him directly if they tried, they would have to send it up a chain of command here before even being able to contact Atlas. Though I doubt they will even bother considering it is a mess of calls to make" replied Winter with confidence as the car turned down a thin road and towards a large vessel ahead which had a ramp extending from its rear that led into the ship itself.

"I've never been on a boat before" said Yang, normally she'd travel by air if she needed to get anywhere which was normally to Vale from Patch.

The car bumped slightly as it connected with the ramp and slowly made its way onto the ship. "Let us hope you have good control over your stomach in that case" responded Winter. The inside of the ship they had entered had a few large containers but the centre had been left clear as to easily transport said containers in and out of the cargo bay. However, Winter had been told there was no more cargo to be loaded and so assumed it to be a safe bet to simply park the vehicle in the middle of the empty path. Turning off the ignition she opened her door and stopped from the vehicle. The other four doing the same. Behind them a voice called out before the ramp started to pull up, closing the back of the cargo bay.

"Sooo... what now?" asked Yang.

"This is no luxurious ride so things to do are going to be limited to watching the ocean and talking to one another. So I suggest perhaps just going up to the top deck and getting settled in" answered Winter.

"This sounds like it's gonna be a lot more boring than I thought it would be..." muttered Yang as she followed after the woman with Neo and Blake doing the same. The ship was large in size and proved some time before they found their way to the top deck. As Winter stated, it was nothing to compare to a ferry made for transporting people. Everything they saw had a function intended for the work that took place upon the vessel. The ship had already set sail and as they moved to the back of the boat they could see the port and the mountains they came from slowly moving further and further away.

"Ahh..." was all that came from Winter's voice, seemingly as if remembering something.

"What is it?" asked Blake as she looked to her with golden eyes.

"We should have brought the coats up from the car... It is going to become very cold very fast..." said Winter, folding her arms as she turned to lean against the railing behind her.

Before anyone could suggest going back for them Neo had turned on her heel and started marching away. The three watched her go curiously before looking back to one another. "Does she even remember the way...?" asked Yang.

Blake shrugged, "She might stay lost long enough for us to leave without her" she answered coldly, which earned her a slight look from Winter who narrowed her gaze.

Yang quickly shifted the topic as she turned her attention to Winter. "So what can we expect when we get to Atlas? Are we heading into a port?" she asked.

Winter tapped her finger against her chin as she looked up the sky. "We will be arriving in the capital city itself. There will also be plenty of snow, it will be cold and from there we will spend a day in the city re-supplying before making for my father's mansion" she answered, looking back down at the two.

A rush of wind came towards the three that chilled right through to the bone. Yang and Blake both instinctively wrapped their arms around themselves (Or in Yang's case, arm). Winter didn't seem near as bothered by it as the two were. "Wh- I wasn't expecting... that" stuttered Blake, the rush of wind had hit her right in the back and sent chills up her spine.

From there on the wind didn't give up as they moved into the open ocean. The continent that they had come from now barely in sight and merely a dot in the distance. "Y-Yeah... Where's Neo with those coats?" asked Yang as she glanced around.

As if summoned, the small woman appeared as she exited the ship, bundle of coats in hand and wearing her own light pink one. She approached Winter first as she took her white coat from her. Then moving to reluctantly offer Blake her purple one and then the same for Yang, a yellow one, though she refused to look at her directly. Each put on their coats as the wind continued to harass the ship.

Yang's gaze lingered upon Neo before turning to face Blake. "Wanna head back inside...?" she asked.

The Faunus nodded, arms still wrapped around herself. "S-Sure. I didn't know I hated the cold this much..." she answered before turning to start heading back towards the interior of the ship.

"We might find some place to sit. They should have like a cafeteria or something right?" asked Yang as she followed after her partner.

Winter watched as they left, arms casually folded as her eyes peered over to Neo. The smaller girl was glaring at the two, or likely just Blake as her fists clenched. It didn't seem like seeing the two together was ever not going to annoy her. "Calm down" came Winter's voice as her gaze pierced her. Neo turned her attention as if by surprise, looking back up at the woman as she frowned. With a pause Winter continued, "I know what happened at the cabin" she said.

To this Neo's eyes blinked and turned white as she took a step away from her, worry written across her face.

"Yang appears to have forgiven you, but I should not need to tell you that if you attempt something like that again... We will have an issue. Understood?" asked Winter with a stern tone, her long silvery hair waving in the cold sea air.

Neo nodded twice in an apologetic manner while holding her hands behind her back.

Winter rested her sight on the woman a while longer before turning her gaze forwards. "It will be a few hours until we reach Atlas, you do not get sea sick I hope?" asked Winter, her voice now calmer. Neo shook her head in response as her eyes blinked, returning to her usual brown and magenta as her eyes looked out over the ocean. The continent they had come from now simply gone from all sight.

* * *

"Hey, this looks like a good spot" said Yang.

"That's the car" answered Blake as she looked to Winter's car, seemingly unimpressed by Yang's ability to find a place to sit down.

"I bet it's a lot warmer than anywhere else, and it has the comfiest seats too" nodded the blonde as she opened up one of the back passenger doors, gesturing towards it with her head.

The Faunus sighed and made her way over to Yang before entering the back seat of the vehicle. Yang followed behind her before closing the door. "I didn't think she would have left it unlocked" said Blake as she glanced around the interior as if expecting something to be missing, it appeared just as they had left it which came as some relief.

"I'm pretty excited" said Yang, seemingly out of the blue as Blake looked to her confused. "For Atlas I mean. After we find Weiss and we all go find Ruby it's gonna be awesome. Right?" she asked as she turned to the Faunus.

Blake half-smiled and gave a nod, "Sure it will" she answered.

"What?" asked Yang as she raised a brow at her, having caught on to something in her expression.

"What do you think she'll say?" asked Blake.

"Who, Weiss?" replied Yang.

Blake nodded as she idly clasped her hands together in her lap. "I can't stop thinking about it. What if they think it's weird? What if they don't like the idea of two people in the team being in a relationship? Won't it get in the way? Won't there be favouritism?" asked the Faunus, almost running out of breath by the end of her words.

Yang smiled and placed her hand firmly onto Blake's shoulder, "You worry too much. We're a couple now, they're just gonna have to learn to accept it" she answered.

Blake smirked softly, "Sometimes you don't worry enough" she answered.

"It's better that way though right?" asked the blonde.

"Depends on the situation I guess..." replied Blake as she shuffled herself closer towards Yang, coming into contact as she leaned against her.

The two sat in silence for a short while before Yang spoke out, "Do you think it'd be possible for me to get robot arm?" she asked.

"I guess asking why would be a stupid question?" replied Blake.

Yang snorted, "Duh, yeah. I want to punch things for real again. Kicks haven't been working out too great for me" she answered.

"It made you faster" commented Blake as she referred to the time Yang had chased her back in Vale.

"Don't you like... find it a bit annoying though? I know I do" replied Yang.

Blake frowned lightly at the subject they were approaching. "Be more specific?" she asked.

Yang thought on her words briefly before adjusting herself to promptly sit upon Blake's lap, facing her. She placed her one hand upon her shoulder. "I want to hold you, with both arms. It... Doesn't feel right with just one... Get it?" she asked.

A little stunned by the fact the beautiful blonde was now in her lap, Blake replied. "Well... I can see what you mean. But it never bothered me, I'm more than happy that we're even together, plus a metal arm wouldn't be so comfortable around my waist" she answered.

"But... we could do a lot more if I had two arms" responded Yang.

"A lot more?" questioned Blake with uncertainty.

"Yeah you know... like... stuff. And things" answered Yang awkwardly as her lilac eyes briefly turned aside.

"Stuff... and things...?" asked Blake. After a short silent pause she chuckled at the woman.

"Wh- Don't laugh!" replied Yang, but in truth she herself was barely holding in her own laughter.

"I'm not laughing" lied Blake, she clearly was. Her chuckling was halted firmly with lips as Yang leaned down and kissed her passionately. The Faunus gave out a surprised moan as her hands softly moved to rest upon Yang's back. After several seconds they parted.

Yang smirked at her before her expression softened, "But serious though... I feel like I can't give you like... I... It's hard to word... I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't feel like I'm doing enough for you. With one arm. It's like I'm only putting in half the effort towards our relationship or something" she said.

Blake smiled gently up at her, "You shouldn't worry about that. I..." she halted her words after almost having let something unintentional slip from her lips. "I'm just happy. In fact I couldn't be more happy" she answered.

"You're sure...?" asked Yang.

"I'm sure. You told me that to you I'm just Blake and nothing more. Well to me you're Yang. Nothing more, nothing less. It goes both ways, and I-" pausing once more the Faunus almost let the word slip again. "I really really like you" she nodded at Yang.

Yang watched her girlfriend, eyes searching her features before she grinned down at her. "You're really cute" she stated.

The Faunus blushed as her golden gaze coyly looked up to her. "And you're really flattering" she replied. She then watched as Yang brought her hand back towards herself to undo the zip on her coat. "Uh- Yang?" asked Blake.

"Don't get too excited, it's just the coat. It's still cold in this car right? So we can just share our body-heat like they do in all the movies" replied the blonde as she brought her hand to Blake's coat afterwards, slowly unzipping it to reveal her usual attire beneath.

"Well... I guess it is a bit... chilly..." admitted Blake, it took a lot of focus for her not to bluntly stare down at Yang's chest. She was wearing her usual orange tank top.

Yang moved to press her body against Blake's, wrapping her arm around her back as the Faunus did the same. Yang could feel the heat from the body of her partner as well as the beat of her heart which, as usual in times like these, was racing. "What did I say about not getting excited?" asked Yang with a light tone.

"You know yours is beating fast too right?" asked Blake with a blush.

"Bet I can make yours beat faster..." whispered Yang in an almost growling fashion as her head tilted down to meet Blake's lips once more, locking the two into other deep kiss. Blake's arms squeezed tightly around Yang's form. Already she had forgotten about the cold, all she cared about now was her partner as she felt her press her body more firmly against her own. She felt that Yang's heart was beating faster, and her own probably was too. She was shocked to soon find that her partner's hand had moved down to her top, placing itself against her bare skin as it attempted to slide up her shirt. Instantly the Faunus let out a yelp into the kiss which caused Yang to break from it in surprise. "What's wrong?" asked Yang with some alarm.

"Y- Your hand's... really... cold..." shuddered Blake as Yang looked down to her hand, quickly pulling it out from under Blake's top.

"Oh- Uh... Sorry... Kinda forgot about that" chuckled Yang softly. Blake gave her a disapproving stare in return.

The vessel continued on through the cold waters as a mass of land was sighted in the far distance ahead, it was surely to be Atlas but it was far too difficult to make out any terrain as of yet. The waves continued to be pushed aside for the ship as it made its way through the waters. A journey it had performed numerous times, everything was still going just as planned.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The flakes of snow fell down upon her gently, some landing in her silver-white hair as they simply blended in. Others fell upon her pale complexion and melted away instantly as her suitable icy eyes stared out over the black expanse of ocean. She was at the front of the ship, sat upon a fold-out chair with a small foam cup containing hot coffee. The steam created from the conflicting heats raised from the cup as she sat with her legs crossed. It was cold enough to have sent the other three inside but she had insisted she was fine. Growing up in Atlas the cold was something she had gotten used to and it only served to her as a reminder of home.

The only lights were those from the rest of the ship behind her and those ahead over the dark sea. Night had since come over the ship as they grew nearer towards Atlas, she could now see the city in fact. A shining maze of white and blue lights, towers like icicles that reached higher than any dared in Vale, swift lights moving about on the highways that extended above the ground and snaked around the city itself. The snow that forever blanketed the city only made the sight more awe inspiring for it lit up brightly as a result of the city. It looked like something from a fairytale, sitting there in the distance. Separating the blackness of the sea from the rest of the continent and even the sky became impossible as the clouds halted the shining presence of the moon.

Two beacons, the ship and the city, drawing ever closer to one another. It was a view that Winter felt she could never tire from no matter how many times she saw that city, be it from sea or sky. It was always the same, simply breathtaking. She brought her cup to her lips as she sipped from it. The coffee burned at her tongue for only a brief moment as she sighed afterwards, her breath becoming visible in the cold air. She paused before reaching into her pocket as she withdrew her scroll, eyes glancing over the screen as it lit up her face. Her finger hovered over the image of Weiss as her eyes frowned at the device.

Ever since Weiss returned to Atlas... nothing. Yet it was likely she had attempted to contact both Yang and Blake, so why not herself? She had time to think upon the reasons and had a sure idea on why it could be. Their father was a selfish man who cherished only power, respect and control. At a young age he would have shown them compassion and love, he would have spent time with them and taught them personally. But it was all a charade, it was to ensure their loyalty to their father at an early time in their lives, to simply accept him and thank him for what he had done for them. There came an age however where that would change, for both of them. It first happened to herself, suddenly her father was too busy, he had meetings left and right, important calls to make, business trips to plan. Suddenly she was left in the dark and abandoned, only with the servants of the mansion to finish what remained of parenting.

It made her cold.

She would look to Weiss and see the affection she once received from their father, the attention that was once her own, yet she held no jealousy. As a child Winter was as sharp as ever, her mind was like a weapon. She caught on quickly to what was happening. Now that she had been adequately tempered and moulded into something her father could stand to look at, it was Weiss' turn. And so from the background she would watch her sister as she progressed through an identical childhood to her own. The guests would faun over her, tell her how beautiful and talented she was. Just as they had said to her. But they would not even glance upon her, their favour had turned to Weiss in order to earn some sliver of respect or acknowledgement from their father. She was the new topic, the latest gossip. A fashion.

That's all it ever was to them. A game of deceiving smiles and shaking hands with the right people while concealing a dagger behind their back to further their own standing. Weiss and Winter were alike in many ways but some things set them apart, one difference being that Winter was forced to grow up faster than her younger sibling. The reason being? The White Fang. Her father couldn't possibly take out his anger upon Weiss, he wasn't finished fashioning her into a suitable heiress. But Winter was finished... As a result he'd yell at her, chastise her for not being good enough. He'd blame her for his lot in life. Through her father's resentment of her she learned to despise the man, but she stayed for a while longer if only to spare her younger sister the same fate a little more.

That was another difference between her and her sister. Winter refused to give up, everything she did she had to meet to its end. Weiss? As a child giving up had become something of a bad habit of hers. Winter had abused this fact of her sibling, embedding the seeds of doubt as to why she was so content on playing house. Giving up meant she would never attempt to leave after all, to remain and live a charade of a life. Winter had by this point wished to make something more of herself than simply a trophy on the wall of her father's mansion. She was going to become something that had nothing to do with her status as a Schnee. She wanted this for Weiss too but at the time she was simply too young to care for herself to escape with her. Before Winter left she made sure that in the future Weiss would follow in her footsteps. That was her parting gift to her father, her revenge.

Her only regret being that her leaving likely only placed more pressure upon her sister, in the end it was a choice she had to make for herself. Ever since then some sense of guilt shadowed her for leaving Weiss to become the one heiress to the family name and so she had promised herself that should Weiss not be able to leave of her own power she would simply return to take her away from her father. By force if necessary.

Thinking back on this, the reason Weiss never called her made more sense. Weiss wanted to impress their father more than Winter ever did, even though that might be a different case now her father still held some sway over her thoughts. She had no doubt that he had poisoned Weiss against her through kind words of praise mixed in with the reasons she had such a burden upon her shoulders. That reason being Winter herself. It was the only explanation she could find and if such was truly the case...

She wouldn't be able to forgive herself for what she'd do to her father for turning the one person she cared so deeply about against her. If there was one thing she feared it's what would happen during that moment of confrontation. She might very well end up dismantling the Schnee name, she might even dismantle their entire legacy. All for the sake of her sister, the one relative in her life that never expected the impossible from her. The one relative that simply loved her for who she was.

Still looking upon the image of Weiss upon her scroll her eyes turned back to the city, now larger and brighter than before as the vessel drew closer. She pocketed her scroll and took a second sip from her coffee, cooler now than before. The sound of clacking heels came from behind her as they approached, she didn't have to look back to know who it was. Often did Neo come to her now when she was feeling lonely or upset, usually a result of Yang and Blake. She heard something drag along the floor as a box was pushed besides her chair, the short woman then sitting upon it as her mismatched eyes stared out at the city, widening slightly at the view.

Despite her childhood Winter's heart was not completely made up of ice. She was able to thaw it and show the compassion that her father once demonstrated to her at a young age. Not only that but she had a soft spot for all things broken and unwanted. She turned her gaze to Neo as she held out her cup of coffee, the smaller girl looking upon it and as she realised what it was she shook her head. Winter smirked softly, "I take five sugars with it" she admitted. She knew that Neo would only ever eat or drink sweet things, it seemed to go well with her theme and she wondered if she only did it for the sake of that reason. Though her own reasons for five sugars were simply that she herself couldn't stand coffee all that much, she'd never tell anyone else how she took it though.

Upon hearing this Neo accepted the cup and took a sip from it, both hands folding around the foam material in order to warm her hands.

"Nice view" stated Winter as her eyes looked ahead to the city of Atlas once again. Neo nodded in silent agreement. Speaking with Neo was forever going to be a difficult task but it was far from impossible. She turned her attention to her fully, "How are you?" she asked to which the smaller girl shrugged. Stubborn. "Was it them again?" she continued as she received a hesitant nod in response this time. Winter sighed softly through her nose, she knew that Yang wouldn't do it on purpose which must have meant Neo simply stumbled upon them without them noticing again. She would love for a way to completely stop Neo's obsession with Yang but at the moment nothing came to mind for a way to accomplish that. All she could do for now was comfort her when she was down.

Neo offered Winter her coffee back to which she accepted it and took another sip from it herself. The smaller girl was staring at her for some strange reason as Winter raised a brow at her in a questioning manner. Neo blinked as both her eyes turned magenta. Winter understood that Neo more often than not attempted to use her eyes in communication, to describe how she was feeling mostly. But this one was new to her, never before had she used this combination to her knowledge.

"What is it?" asked Winter as Neo kept staring at her, her expression was blank as she reached a hand out to place it upon Winter's thigh, firmly grasping it. Winter's eyes watched the hand and she knew what those eyes now meant and what Neo was probably trying to tell her. She had to be careful with what she said next. On one hand, accepting this would be a step towards getting her off Yang's back, it would also probably keep both Yang and Neo happy. But on the other hand... Winter herself felt no attraction to the girl, agreeing to anything would be completely one-sided on Neo's part. If she shot her down she would likely continue to spiral around within her depression. Not to mention the fact that Neo mostly communicated through action, she could only guess how she'd communicate her feelings, no doubt it would lead to a lot of lost sleep...

Neo tilted her head slightly at Winter as she pondered her decision, her fingers grasping more tightly at her thigh. Yet her expression remained blank. Perhaps it wasn't love she was after, perhaps it was simply company.

Winter sighed to herself. If only Neo had kept her hands to herself, she wouldn't have to make this decision. She wasn't prepared to become what Neo wanted from her, that simply wasn't who she was. For Yang's sake or not. She stared into Neo's eyes and frowned softly. "Neopolitan..." she began in a calm and soothing tone. "I know that you might be feeling... lonely. But what you want with me will not heal the hole in your heart, it will only numb the pain for a while and soon enough you will just return to as you are now. I am not what you want, and I think that you understand this. Don't you?" replied Winter.

Neo's eyes drifted asides for a moment as she seemed to think upon her words. It was a good reaction, more than Winter could have hoped for. It showed that she didn't feel instantly rejected. After a short while the small girl blinked as her eyes returned to their usual brown and magenta, her hand slowly slipping away from Winter's thigh.

Winter reached out her arm to place it across Neo's shoulder. "I can be your friend Neo, and as a result of that I will watch out for you and support you. I will be here for you. But a friend is all I can be" she continued in her soft tone. Neo nodded slowly once more as her eyes stared out to Atlas, drawing ever closer. It would not be long now until they reached it. Neo leaned against Winter, her head resting against her shoulder as the two watched the light-show of a city.

She was thankful that Neo seemed to understand completely, and thankful that she was able to spare herself the carnal relationship the girl seemed to want. Relationships were never much a worry for Winter, she had a few in the past sure but they only ever got in the way of her work, so each ended swiftly. All of her past partners had been men but after tonight she gave thought to it. She'd always been open minded about the subject and was equally attracted to some women as she was some men, but never had she entered a relationship with another woman. But nor did she expect she ever would if her current line of work continued, and that went for any relationships at all.

To think that the quiet girl next to her wanted nothing more than to share her bed in order to sate her desires... it was somewhat unnerving considering what Yang had told her she was capable of. She apologized in her thoughts to Yang, if she accepted she might have been able to twist Neo's mind into falling in love with her, and thus sparing the blonde the trouble. But then she'd be in a loveless relationship on her part with somebody she wasn't even attracted to. She cared for Yang, and even Blake, but she wasn't about to make that kind of sacrifice for anyone but those closest to her heart.

Once more sighing to herself she broke away from her thoughts. Eyes glancing down to Neo resting upon her shoulder, her blank expression still present. A soft smile appeared on Winter's face as she spoke, "You should try and find someone shorter" she said.

To her content it worked as Neo tried to hide her smirk, having found their comparison in height humorous. When stood besides one another it would be easily capable for Neo to comfortably head-butt Winter in the gut, and that was with her heels on. It made Winter question her age, Neo was certainly the shortest person she knew standing at 4'10 in her boots. Shorter even than Weiss which she never thought would be possible for anyone.

"How old are you, if you do not mind" asked Winter, in response Neo raised her hands in front of herself. She opened both her hands flat. Ten. Then a second time. Twenty. She then held out one finger. Winter would never have guessed. "Twenty one? I thought you would have been closer to Yang's age than mine..." she replied. To this Neo shrugged her shoulders, as if simply unable to come up with a response, or unable to answer it due to her lack of speaking.

The best case scenario for all this was if Winter could by some means find someone who was attracted to the girl. By no means was she unattractive after all, in fact she was rather beautiful. But if she could find somebody who liked her it could solve many of the problems the group faced, especially if Neo fell for them. The issue being of course... where to find somebody like that?

A light shined past her eyes, forcing her to squint as they refocused to see that it was a lighthouse. The city was so very close now, even this late at night it was alive. She could already hear the sounds of traffic. It was good to see a city that wasn't left a ghost town like Vale. For a while now they had been alone travelling and it felt although a breath of fresh air to soon be among people once again.

Men yelled orders to one another from around the ship as the crew prepared themselves to dock as they grew nearer the port. Finally they had reached Atlas.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

With a mechanical sound the ramp lowered, ending its descent with a heavy thud as the silver car began reversing towards the newly opened exit. With a slight bump its wheels moved onto the ramp shortly before coming upon hard concrete. Winter reversed the vehicle into an intersection before halting and then accelerating forward as she turned right, the view of the bright city of Atlas entering their sight. Blake and Yang were both sat in the back of the vehicle seeing as now Winter did not need Blake's eyes in the front. Both of them looked in awe at the sight of the gleaming metropolis as the vehicle approached it.

"It's so... bright" commented Yang as her lilac eyes stared upon the city. They entered the streets proper as they joined the other vehicles that drove along the roads. The blonde looked through her window to see people busying around the pavement. From groups of friends laughing and passing by to business men in suits with a cup of coffee in one hand and a suitcase in the other. Even this late it seemed so lively.

Blake looked through her own window at the sights, "I've never seen so many people on the pavement like this" she spoke as her golden eyes attempted to scan each person that walked by. Colourful advertisements upon the walls of the buildings coloured the street in hues of variety, some even playing sound or music as the car entered into slow moving traffic.

"I'd hate to see the energy bill on this place" said Yang as her eyes gleamed at the sights.

"Thanks to the SDC it is actually quite low... or at least it would be in comparison to other kingdoms if they chose to use as much as Atlas does" replied Winter as the vehicle came to a halt, waiting for the traffic to continue forward.

"Could do with more roads I guess" said Yang as she looked ahead, only able to see the rear of another car in front of them.

Winter left one hand upon the steering wheel as she leaned her elbow against the shelf of the door's window on her left, resting her head upon her hand. "It is not so bad, you get to look at other cars" replied Winter.

"Exciting" spoke Blake in a flat tone, vehicles never did interest her that much.

Yang smirked at Blake before speaking to Winter once again, "So where are we going first?" she asked.

The car accelerated as the traffic progressed. "Seeing as it is late, likely a hotel. In the morning we will make for my father's mansion immediately" answered Winter.

"Can't we get something to eat first? I'm really hungry" suggested Yang. The traffic came to a halt once more as the car did the same.

Winter took this chance to glance towards Neo and Blake, "Are you two?" she asked. Neo gave her a single nod in response.

"Yeah, I could do with something" agreed Blake.

"Very well" nodded Winter as she looked forward once more, the traffic resuming as the vehicle came upon an intersection. She indicated before turning a corner that led deeper into the city. "I know a place we can stop by and fret not, I will be covering the bill. Just... do not go overboard, understood?" she asked.

"Loud and clear" answered Yang with a grin.

The road they had pulled out into contained far less traffic than the main one they had been on just before. Slowly they passed a variety of places and plazas containing many different stores, restaurants and diners. Above them were a number of walkways that seemed to extend from building to building, the large skyscrapers apparently being host to even more stores and so on. Like spires of activity that rose up higher than Yang could see from her window. The vehicle moved to a slow as it veered off to the right and into a large open entrance that led into the base of one such tower. The lower part of the tower formed a parking complex, filled almost to the brim with other cars.

Winding its way up the circular road inside the complex they eventually found an empty parking space, the car slotting into it and coming to a halt. Before anyone got out of the car Winter looked back to the others. "When we get inside stick together. Atlas is very busy compared to Vale and should someone become lost it... well, it is just hard to find them again and I would rather not be wasting any more time" she answered to which the other three nodded in agreement. With that all four doors opened as the ramshackle group that was Team BWNY exited the vehicle, closing the doors shut after as Winter locked the car. She glanced around as she gathered her bearings before gesturing that the group follow her. "This way then" she spoke.

Their footsteps echoed through the parking lot, the interior a bright white as lights shined down from the ceiling. For even their parking lots to look impressive... Atlas sure was gaudy. They were approaching a glass door that didn't seem to lead anywhere on the other side. Though after entering it became obvious that it was an elevator. Winter punched in a few buttons before steadily the group felt themselves begin to ascend, the view of the parking lot vanishing from their sight.

"Nobody here is afraid of heights, right?" asked Winter as she turned to view the others. Neo shook her head as Yang and Blake both answered with a no. "Good" nodded Winter as the darkness within the elevator was suddenly replaced with bright lights, the back window now revealing to them in full the sight of the city as they continued to ascend.

Yang moved up to the window, placing her hand against it as she looked out to the city, "Woah..." she spoke as Blake joined her at her side, smiling as she also looked out upon the view. Neo herself tried not to look so interested, but her eyes were undeniably peering upon the sights of the city. Winter folded her arms, taking a subtle step back from the window and glancing elsewhere in a feigned uncaring manner. In fact if the others had saw her, she'd have looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Does Atlas ever have a problem with Grimm?" asked Blake as she continued looking out from the window, the elevator now having ascended almost half way up the spire. The one opposite them across the street growing thinner as it reached its peak.

"Next to none. Not only are the people in Atlas content with their lives but the military is always on high alert, the borders are well maintained and even if there was a full attack we are more than capable of meeting it head on" answered Winter, now having turned completely with her back to the window.

Yang finally took a step away from the window as she kept watching through it. "At this rate I might as well just live here, it sounds almost too good" she said before looking to Blake, "What about it Blakey? Wanna move in with me?" she chuckled. Blake looked to Yang from the corner of her eye as she smirked in silence at the thought. From behind Yang was the ever present stare of a jealousy-ridden Neo.

The elevator slowly came to a halt before the doors in front of Winter opened wide to reveal a mall-like plaza. She folded her arms behind her back as she stepped out from the elevator, the other three following after her as usual. "This place we're going... It's not too fancy right? I'd feel under-dressed..." spoke Blake as she glanced around at her surroundings. The floor was a reflective marble theme while the walls and the ceilings were stark white. Stores and small seating areas were seen all around as well as more flashy advertisements on large screens. The echo of people and footsteps all around them as they soon found themselves amidst a crowd. They kept close together as they moved through it.

"Not too fancy at all" commented Winter in response to Blake who had reached back to take a hold of Yang's hand as to not be separated amidst the crowd.

Yang could feel something grab at the back of her jacket, upon peering over her shoulder she could see that it was Neo, her right hand holding onto her. She was short enough that getting lost in the crowd proved to be a real threat to her and so she allowed her to hold onto the back of the jacket. Neo herself of course kept her eyes away from Yang's as the group pressed on.

"Just over here" spoke Winter as the group re-emerged from the mass of people, stopping in front of a restaurant entrance. Upon entering they were met with a warm atmosphere. They were standing upon a slightly higher platform as down below them were an assortment of chairs and tables, it appeared to be rather busy. The carpet was a dark brown and the walls a deep shade of red. On some walls there were even open fireplaces that warmed the room and where they couldn't reach there were simply chandeliers hung over-head burning with candle-light. Blake had wondered what exactly fancy meant in Atlas, because this was the fanciest restaurant she had laid eyes upon.

The back and right wall of the room were made of glass and curved into one another, noting that they must be at an edge of the spire itself. The view looked out over the lights of the city below. "Can I help you-" began a man in a dark red and ornate vest jacket with a white shirt beneath. His eyes looked upon Winter. "Ah, miss Schnee!" he exclaimed in surprise, "What can I do for you today?" he asked.

Winter smiled politely at the man and nodded, "Carmine, how are the kids? And just a table for four tonight" she answered.

The man named Carmine smirked, "Growing up fast. And of course Miss Schnee, away from the window as usual?" he asked.

The woman seemed to pause as her polite smile wavered in the presence of her company. "Ah- Just... wherever there is space" she smiled awkwardly at the man who nodded in response before leading the four down the three steps and onto the main floor. There appeared to only be one table for four spare, and much to Winter's disappointment it was right besides one of the windows.

The seats around the table had already been pulled out as the waiter gestured to them. "Please take a seat, we will be with you shortly" he answered. Winter extended her hand out towards the man as she offered to him a hefty tip. It seemed to be a regular thing as the man graciously accepted with a smile before thanking Winter and retreating away from the table.

The four took their seats. Yang sat with her back to the window, Blake upon her left and Neo on her right. And ahead, as far away as she could get from the window, was Winter. "So uh... what happened to not too fancy?" asked Yang with a smirk as she leaned back in her chair, already swinging on it.

The mere sight terrified Winter, what if she fell back and the window gave in? She did her best to contain her worries. "Fancy? This is hardly fancy. We aren't even on the highest floor" she answered, reaching for a glass jug of water at the centre of the table as she grabbed one of the four glasses, pouring herself a glass of water. "Anyone else?" she asked as silently three more glasses were pushed along the table towards her direction. She sighed softly to herself as she began pouring water into all three before placing the jug down back in the centre of the table.

Yang took a gulp from her water before placing it down as she picked up the menu, opening it with one hand as lilac eyes started scanning through it. Blake and Neo did the same yet Winter remained seated, she already knew what she wanted after all. "Lots of choice..." muttered Yang to herself. Blake's eyes seemed to widen at the menu, though she remained silent. "Some of this stuff is pretty expensive, you sure Winter?" asked the blonde as she looked up to her.

"She is" nodded Blake twice with determination.

Winter raised a brow at the Faunus, softly smiling to herself before looking back to Yang. "I am sure" she confirmed. After a few more moments she asked, "So what are you all having?"

The first to respond was Yang who slammed her menu down against the table. "I'll have a bowl of noodles" she answered. To this Winter seemed slightly confused.

Blake was the second as she looked over to Winter, gently folding her menu back up and placing it down. "Tuna sandwich" she answered. Winter's look of confusion only increasing as she turned to Neo. Upon noticing she wasn't going to receive a reply she narrowed her eyes as the small girl showed her the menu, finger pointing to one of the many deserts.

"Neapolitan ice cream..." muttered Winter as Neo nodded at her. She gave out a drawn sigh as she closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose with finger and thumb. "I take you all out to this lovely restaurant and you order noodles... a sandwich... and some ice cream..." she spoke, clearly seeming disappointed in their choice of food. Just then a waitress approached them to take their orders, marking down that of Neo's, Blake's and Yang's. When looking to Winter the woman simply responded with "The usual" to which the waitress nodded and walked off. Additionally Neo had pointed at tea on the menu once having gotten the waitress' attention before she left.

"I didn't know what half of the stuff on the menu was" stated Yang, Blake nodding in agreement to her words.

"Wait, what did you order?" asked Blake as her golden eyes narrowed at Winter in suspicion. The woman merely smiled at Blake and folded her arms. "Okay, keep your secrets" said Blake before taking a gulp of water from her glass.

Neo looked to the window on her left, her eyes seemed distracted by all of the lights and the activity. This earned her a rather amused glance from Winter. And oddly enough also from Yang, though it was safe to assume she was more laughing at her in her mind, not with her. In some ways Neo often acted like a child but Winter knew that was never a good sign in, apparently, an adult. Perhaps it was likely Neo never had such a good upbringing which was something she could relate to. Maybe that was more cause for them to be friends.

Before long and the waitress had returned, balancing a variety of plates in both her hands and along her right arm. Behind her a second waitress carrying a small metallic tea set. The plates and bowl were placed upon the table. In front of Winter was placed a simple plate of pasta. It seemed nothing special, just pasta covered in a sauce. She received judging stares from her friends to which she replied, "What? It is a really good pasta" she answered before taking her fork in hand and deftly spearing her food before moving some of it to her mouth. Neo had immediately set into her ice-cream while Blake took large bites from one of her two sandwiches (She really likes tuna). Yang was also making good progress on her own meal of noodles.

After having travelled so far a decent meal was really what they needed and they savoured every bite. "So what hotel are we going to?" spoke Yang after swallowing a mouthful, Blake subtly nodded in approval towards her as she managed to talk without food in her mouth this time.

Winter paused eating as she tapped a napkin against her lips. "It is actually in the same building, a few floors higher however. As a practical celebrity in these parts... acquiring a room or two should not prove difficult" she answered before resuming her meal.

"So that's gonna be what... one room with a double bed, another with two singles?" asked Yang.

Winter's blue eyes glanced up at Yang as she continued to eat her food, not offering a response for now. She glanced to Neo and could once more see her glare, though this time it faded quickly as she seemingly brought her mind back to her ice-cream.

"Anyone have the salt?" asked Blake.

"Why do you want salt on your sandwich?" replied Yang as she raised a brow at her. She took a moment to check the table, the salt had gone missing. She was sure that it was here earlier

"Because I want salt" responded Blake as she returned the glance to Yang.

Yang shrugged her shoulders, "I... can't see it. Wasn't it just here?" she asked.

Winter paused to also glance around the table, each one had salt upon it but for some reason it was now vacant upon their own table. "Huh... Odd" she spoke.

With a sigh Yang leaned back in her chair, "Actually I think I want some too" she spoke casually. Suddenly Neo had outstretched an arm towards her, her hand holding the missing salt. Neo was smiling casually at her as she peered to the smaller girl suspiciously. "Did you...?" she began.

"Just... take the salt" sighed Winter, she knew full well what had happened now. Though she couldn't fault Neo for trying at least.

Yang took the salt with a slight nod of thanks towards Neo who smiled brightly in return before moving back to her meal. She had poured herself a cup of tea and began the long process of adding multiple spoonfuls of sugar to it.

It was at this moment that Winter realised this was the strangest table she had sat herself at.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The rain had since fallen down upon the city as a thrum of thunder echoed throughout the clouds of the night sky, absent was the flash of lightning. The water that slid down the glass seemed like a river and the repeated patting upon its surface almost sounded although it had started shifting into a rhythm. In the large glass window Yang saw her own reflection, she was in her usual sleepwear as she looked out to the city of Atlas with a smile as she watched various lights flicker and move below in the streets. They were higher now in the tower, having acquired rooms thanks to Winter and her deep pockets. Of course Yang shared one with Blake while Winter and Neo had their own room next door.

The room itself was dimly lit with lamps, low enough as to not disturb when sleeping. The floors were a white carpet, the walls a more creamy beige. Blake appeared to be asleep behind her in the only bed within the room, the white quilt covering her form as her black hair sprawled out upon the pillow beneath her head. Her mouth was slightly open as she slept, her arms resting where Yang had laid besides her before getting out of bed. Another boom of thunder that was somewhat nullified by the interior walls of the room echoed. The black feline ears of the Faunus twitched but she remained asleep.

Yang continued to watch the streets below, the reason for her still being up was that she simply couldn't fall asleep. She had woken in the night to find the storm outside. The rain itself caused the colours of the city to blur and almost glow as their light was reflected by the falling droplets of water. Finally a flash of lightning appeared, shortly accompanied by the sound of thunder. For a brief moment Yang swore she saw a large building in the distance, silhouetted against the flash. She narrowed her lilac eyes and began to make something out. There was a hill on the north side of the city, no, it was almost a mountain? The peak didn't look like it should though. There were... towers, or spires. She would have thought it to be another part of the city if not for the fact there were no lights. The second flash of lightning all but confirmed it, she saw clearly the black silhouette of what appeared to be some sort of mansion, or castle. Was that Winter's home?

To her shock she heard something behind her, a vibration? Turning she saw that her scroll was ringing upon her bedside table. The iconic sound of the vibrations waking the Faunus up as she blinked with tired golden eyes, sitting herself up in the bed as she pulled the quilt up to cover her form. "Yang...?" she muttered as she rubbed her eyes with one hand. The blonde made her way over to her scroll, picking it up. The caller was unknown. She raised a brow at the number and showed it to Blake. The eyes of the Faunus widened as she looked upon the number. "Wait... I think that's the same one Weiss used to call us back in Vale...!" she said, leaning towards the scroll in surprise.

Alerted Yang looked back to the scroll and answered it. She was met with silence upon the other end, nothing but silence. "... Weiss?" asked Yang as she looked out to the window once more. Blake had pushed herself out of their bed, forgoing the quilt as she moved closer to Yang so that she could listen. Yang was met with no response to her question.

"Weiss, it's us, is that you?" came Blake's voice. Again she was met with nothing but silence. Without a sound the caller hung up, Yang looked to her scroll afterwards with a confused expression.

"I don't get it..." spoke Yang softly as her lilac eyes caught something in the distance outside. The hill she had been watching... there was a solitary light. "Wait, look" said Yang as she neared the window, Blake following after her as they both looked out to the distant light. After two seconds it vanished.

"Is that... a castle?" asked Blake as she narrowed her eyes, her sight far more keen in the dark than Yang's.

Yang squinted her eyes at where she had seen the light, "I think it's where she lives..." spoke Yang in return. The two paused in consideration, the rain still beating down upon the glass as their reflections were drowned out by the water running down its surface.

"We should tell Winter..." suggested Blake, somewhat hesitant about the idea. Something gave her the impression that somehow Winter was not on good terms with Weiss, that could be the only reason she never seemed to try and call her and only them. This of course was all assuming that it was even Weiss to begin with.

But she had a right to know. Yang looked to her scroll once more before nodding, "Yeah, we should. She's just next door after all" she answered before turning for the door in nothing but her tank top and shorts. This late there was unlikely to be anyone walking around. The Faunus swiftly followed after, her own bed attire a lot more controversial, it simply being her underwear and a very loose black shirt that hung down her shoulders. The shirt was one that Yang had bought for her as they made their way higher into the tower, passing multiple stores. The shirt said _Bad Kitty_ in bold white letters upon the back of it, something Blake herself was still unaware of.

Yang reached the door and stopped, turning around to face Blake. "What?" asked Blake.

"You sure you don't want to at least put on some pants?" asked Yang in response as her eyes glanced down to the lower form of Blake.

The Faunus took a step back and squeezed her legs together in a shy manner. "Stop staring" she replied awkwardly. "And you're one to talk" she added, pointing a finger back at Yang.

"Shorts are fine" nodded Yang in a sure manner. "But really, you should probably cover your legs" she suggested, it wasn't really a time to be playing dress-up after all. Blake rolled her eyes at Yang before moving to the bathroom, shortly returning with a simple towel wrapped around her waist in a makeshift skirt. Satisfied that her partner was appropriately covered the two left their room. With Yang first peeking her head around both corners of course. They made their way to the room next door as Yang knocked her fist against the entrance three times and waited.

As she moved to knock again the door opened. At first she saw nothing before her eyes caught a blend of pink of brown hair. She moved her gaze down to find Neo, wearing almost nothing at all as she stared at Yang. Or more specifically, Yang's body. A slow but sure blush was forming on the small girl's face as Yang sighed and gently pushed her aside as she entered the room. Neo casually tried to close the door on Blake but the Faunus was too swift and got her arm through before it closed fully, opening it before shutting it behind her and offering Neo a warning glare. The smaller woman avoided her gaze as her eyes instead returned to Yang's form as she stared at her from behind.

The room was very similar to Yang and Blake's with the only difference being that this room had two smaller beds rather than one large one. Winter had already woken, brushing her hand over her face. "What is this?" she asked as she looked up to Yang and Blake. Yang approached Winter and held out her scroll towards her, the recent contacts showing the number that had called them. Winter's eyes widened as she took the scroll, eyes staring upon the number. "Did she... say anything?" asked the woman as she turned up to face Yang.

The blonde shook her head. "No... same as last time but..." she pointed towards the window, towards where the hill and the mansion/castle would be. "Is that where you live?" she asked.

Winter followed her finger with her eyes, standing up out of her bed. She wore a long white shirt that went down to her thighs. Her hair, as it had been the past few days, was allowed to flow freely behind her back as she moved to the window.

"Yes... That is our destination" answered Winter.

"We... saw a light, after Weiss hung up. It wasn't on for long though" replied Yang as she followed her. Blake kept her eyes on the two while oblivious to Neo who was stood besides her, eyeing her chest before subtly pushing her own further out, not that she needed to but she liked to prove a point as her eyes turned to Yang and Winter.

"A light...?" pondered Winter as her eyes narrowed towards the dark distance. "If a lack of sleep did not have a chance of proving detrimental to us I would ask that we go now..." began the woman as she closed her eyes with a frown. "Unfortunately... We have to be ready and rested" she spoke.

"You're expecting resistance? From your own home?" came Blake's voice. Yang and Winter turned back to look at her, Neo still had her chest pushed out which earned her a confused expression from Yang, the short woman simply smirked back at her.

Winter sighed softly, "I-... We may..." she admitted.

"But he's your father...? Surely he wouldn't attack his own daughter?" continued Blake.

"He will see it less about attacking his daughter and more about preserving the other one. That is how his mind works" responded Winter as she moved to sit upon the edge of her bed, eyes returning to Yang's scroll in her hand. "I will be honest... for sharing weakness with one another is what will make us stronger as a team. I am worried. No- I am afraid. Not of what we will face there but... For the decision I may have to make" she spoke, the worry in her voice somewhat breaking her usual stern tone.

Both Yang and Blake frowned at her words. For their since-Vale leader, for Winter Schnee, to state that she was afraid... It was something that instantly struck some sense of fear into themselves. They had no idea for what reason a professional huntress could be afraid. Yang moved to sit besides Winter as she placed her hand upon her shoulder reassuringly, her lilac gaze locking onto her with determination. "Whatever it is we'll work through it together, as a team" she answered.

Winter looked up to the young huntress and smirked weakly, "Glad to see they taught you something useful at Beacon. There is nothing more powerful than unity... That brings me to a point however..." she said, looking to Blake and Neo as well. "If we meet resistance I must urge you all... Look out for one another. Should Neo fall I will expect you both to aid her, and in turn should someone like Blake fall, I will expect Neo to return the favour. If we cannot trust one another with our well-being we cannot persevere. So of all the things I ask of you three let this be the one you do not forget. For without it you will surely be fated to fail as a result. So pass aside your grudges, please" finished Winter, holding Yang's scroll back to her.

Neo and Blake looked to one another. Winter's words had seemed almost desperate for their cooperation and although it may just be for tomorrow... Blake closed her eyes in an almost irritated fashion before holding her hand out to Neo in a truce. The smaller woman looked to the hand curiously before cautiously grasping it and shaking. The beat of thunder sounded outside as Blake turned her attention ahead. Neo doing the same, though her eyes lingered upon Blake in a narrowed fashion before her expression softened, none had noticed it in the dark light. Their hands parted as Winter smiled to herself.

"Thank you" she said, "I feel more at ease already" she added.

"If we do get attacked though... what are we expecting?" asked Yang.

Winter looked to the window, the moon still hidden behind clouds as the rain pattered against the surface of the glass still. "The Schnee Dust Company has access to military equipment... If we are attacked we may engage the newest line of weapons available in Atlas. Which would include the final version of the Atlesian Paladin prototype you faced in Vale. If I recall from the reports... One appeared at Beacon while under the influence of the virus that caused many of our androids to defect. Thankfully it was deactivated before it engaged with the students defending the academy" answered Winter.

"They're that strong?" asked Yang.

"With me and Neo it will be manageable. No offence of course, your team did take a while to bring down the prototype after all..." responded Winter.

Blake crossed her arms, "We've come a long way since then" she replied.

"I am counting on it" answered Winter as her eyes met with the Faunus. "For now... we should get some rest. If there is anything more to say it can be said in the morning" she finished. With that Yang stood to her feet, making her way over to Blake. She could feel Neo's watching gaze upon her as she moved.

"Well, sleep well Winter. And you too I guess" said Yang, briefly referring to Neo as Blake offered a polite nod in goodnight to Winter, offering Neo a glance as if acknowledging her existence.

"Sleep well ladies" replied Winter to the two as they left the room. Her gaze then turned to Neo who looked back at her. "I am expecting much from you, you know" she said.

Neo frowned gently at Winter before nodding to her.

* * *

Back within their room Yang crawled into her bed. "That rain better stop..." she muttered, glancing to the window. Blake removed the towel from around her waist as she followed her partner, pulling the quilt over herself.

"I find it easier to sleep when it rains, even with the thunder" replied Blake.

Yang glanced over to her as she adjusted herself to a more comfortable position. "Shouldn't you be afraid of it?" she asked.

"I'm going to slap you for these Faunus jokes one day you know" responded Blake, though it was clear she didn't fully mean it.

The blonde smirked softly as she leaned in to peck her upon the lips with her own. Blake paused before eagerness grew over her as she leaned forward, a hand placing upon Yang's shoulder as she kissed her deeply. Yang slowly rolled onto her back to allow Blake to lay on top of her, she wrapped her one arm around her back and after a few moments their kiss parted. "Hey, it can't all be gloomy" replied Yang.

"That's why I'm kissing you, you idiot" sighed Blake.

The night continued on over the city of Atlas. Unaware of what the next day could bring.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The rain continued to pour the next day, the blue sky snuffed out by grey clouds as the sun struggled to penetrate their mass. In the cold of Atlas the chill of the rain seemed to pass right through you. The four had since left the main city as the silver car slowly made its way up a lonesome road to the top of one hill that overlooked the city itself. The snow on the road seemed to have been regularly cleared and so proved no obstacle to the vehicle as it ascended ever higher. The rain beat down against the wind-shield as the wipers did what they could to keep their vision clear.

A flash of lightning and a boom of thunder sounded out, the storm had only continued. They could already see their destination in sight as it loomed ever closer into view. Seeing it clearly now they could tell, it was although an old mansion with sharp towers and jagged ornamental walls. If anything the building could be described as Gothic in nature. They were approaching a large stone wall with an intricate iron gate set into it. The rain had formed into ice along its spindly design, blocking out any gap that was previously present in the gate. It looked although the ice was there by purpose and it blurred the view into the courtyard itself.

The vehicle came to a halt before the gate as Winter opened her door, stepping outside and closing it as she approached a device against the wall that had been spared the effects of the weather. Her long silver-white hair was quickly beginning to soak in the rain and she could feel the cold already biting through the warmth of her clothes. With her index finger she pushed a button on the device as she spoke with intent. "This is Winter Schnee. Open the gate" she ordered before releasing the button. There was a short pause, longer than it should have been before a response came through.

"Good evening Miss Schnee, as of right now we are unable to grant you access. Your father is holding a very important meeting and can not be disturbed. My apologies for the inconvenience" replied the voice before an audible click signalled its end.

Winter narrowed her eyes as she pushed her finger against the button once more, "You refuse me entry into my own home?" she asked, her voice seeming sharper now, releasing the button once more.

The voice replied quicker this time, "Apologies Miss Schnee, this meeting is of the utmost important and cannot-" the voice was cut off as Winter held the button down again.

"If you do not grant me entry I will grant it myself. Open the damn gate" she spoke, her voice now angered. After another pause of about five seconds she heard a loud clink come from the gate, then a crack as the ice split into two. The force of the gate breaking the ice as it parted in the middle, slowly opening and revealing the way forward. The woman, now drenched by the cold rain made her way back to the car. Her long fringe clung to the skin on the right side of her face as she opened and closed the door behind her.

Yang peered over to Winter, "Well if he didn't know you were here... he does now" she said.

"It is as much surprise as we could have hoped for" replied Winter as the car accelerated, passing through the gate and into the courtyard. Blake peered back and could see the gate closing behind them, if they had to make a speedy escape it seemed the car was doomed. The courtyard itself split into a small roundabout that surrounded a frozen fountain, the water that would once shoot from its pinnacle now simply a pillar of clear ice, as if it was frozen instantly by some means. The manor itself was riddled with icicles from the recent and continuing rain. Turning around the fountain the car came to a halt with its left side facing the stairs that moved up towards the large main door. The colour scheme of the building itself was a brilliant white and upon its every surface was something intricate and ornate. The amount of money the building would have cost just seemed absurd in Yang's mind.

"So... Are we ready?" asked Blake, looking to Winter. The woman nodded once.

"Remember what I said" replied Winter as she opened her door, followed by the sound of the other three opening theirs as each one stepped out and into the rain. Neo was quick to open up her umbrella and moved over to Yang's side, holding it higher in order to shield her from the rain. The blonde couldn't help but thank her, the rain was really cold after all.

Winter began making her way up the steps which had been iced over somewhat, but her footing upon such a surface was perfect as she easily advanced. Blake quickly followed with no desire to be out in the rain any longer. She ascended the steps a little slower once realising what had formed upon their surface. Meanwhile Yang had all the time in the world for the rain barely bothered her thanks to Neo's umbrella as she too made her way up. Though her footing upon the slippery surface suffered slightly as she almost slipped. Neo made her attempt to steady her and succeeded as the four had reached the door, the overarching structure now sheltering them from the rain entirely.

The door was made of two and it stood tall. The three looked to Winter who made no attempt to open it, instead her eyes only narrowed. With an initial thud and a creak the door slowly opened as two men in suits appeared on the other side, one by each door as they had been the ones to open it. They both gestured with white gloved hands for the four to enter. "Miss Schnee, welcome home" spoke the elderly looking butler.

Winter never offered a response as she made her way inside, hair and clothes still dripping from the rain as they trailed her path in spots of water. Her eyes scanned left and right as she entered the grand foyer. Ahead of them was another large door, to her left were two along one side, and on her right were two more. The walls, fitting with the theme of the family and Atlas, were white and decorative with various paintings of family members and other decorations. The large hall was empty save for themselves and the two butlers who were now closing the door behind the group. Winter looked back to them, "Where is my sister?" she asked in a stern tone.

The older looking servant held a hand to his chest as he spoke in his frail voice, "The young lady is with your father, just ahead in the great hall" he replied.

Winter peered to the man a while longer before responding, "Thank you Klein, as you were" she spoke as the man nodded to her in kind, moving away to one of the side rooms to likely continue other tasks. After he had left Winter began leading the group to the door at the far end of the foyer.

"You... lived here?" asked Yang as her eyes looked up to the tall ceiling.

"Lived? I suppose that would be appropriate after we leave" replied Winter as her heels clacked with each step, the door growing closer.

Yang began to notice the technology mixed with the architecture of the building. Some of the doors for example had small electronic devices in the walls next to them, the chandeliers above were actually small disguised blowtorches, not candles, and likely powered with dust. "It's... big" commented Yang.

The three reached the door and Winter halted. She breathed in deeply. The door led to the grand hall, the place her father would conduct meetings. But to her expectations there were no voices from beyond the door, only silence. He was waiting. She closed her eyes briefly, after all this time she was going to see her sister again. But something wouldn't stop nagging at the back of her mind... She opened her eyes and pushed her hands against the door as it slowly crept open.

The room revealed to them was larger than the foyer and spanned on ahead. The oddest thing about the room was that it was devoid of any furniture. Where there used to be tables there was no only empty space, as if the room had been cleared intentionally. The tall windows upon the sides of the building let the light from the inner courtyard around the room in. The rain smashing down upon them as another flash of lightning struck, lighting the room up in its entirety before fading only to be followed by the thunderous bellow of the sky. The floor reflected what light was in the room and ahead they could see a single chair with the emblem of the Schnee family built into the wall behind it in place of a window. But who was sat upon the decorative chair was of most note.

A dress that began a dark shade of blue at its top and grew into a light shade the further down her form that it reached. Snow white hair formed into an obscenely long ponytail, crowned with a spiked silver tiara at its base. Blue eyes opened, one featured with a scar over the left side. Weiss Schnee. She was not alone however, as besides her stood a tall older man with short white hair and a moustache, his own piercing and sharp blue eyes glaring down at the four as his left hand rested upon the back of the chair that Weiss sat upon.

Winter took a step forward as she called out her sister's name. "Weiss!" she yelled as her sibling stared back at her, her expression holding a frown as her eyes drifted to Blake and Yang who seemed more shocked than anything.

The man that could only be assumed as the father of Winter and Weiss stood forward, hands held behind his back as he addressed his daughter. "Winter, why have you come here? I hear you abandoned your post in Vale..." he spoke in a demeaning manner.

Winter's eyes glared at her father as her expression turned to that of a foul one, "You know very well why I came" she stated, there was no love in her voice towards the man who shared her blood.

"Foolish child. You believe she wants to leave? She is home. This is where she belongs" stated her father, not even looking upon Weiss as he referred to her. Weiss' head dipped slightly as her eyes glanced to the floor.

"You idiot, even now you cannot bring yourself to look upon her to realise, to see, what she is feeling! Did you ever dare ask her if this is where she wants to be? Because I would wager the answer would be far from what you expect!" answered Winter as she took another step forward in anger.

The man narrowed his sharp gaze upon Winter, "Even if she were not content with her place in life, who do you think would be to blame? That was your position Winter, and in your selfish nature you sought to pass that burden upon your younger sister, a disgraceful act that spits upon the grave of our ancestors. You would rather live your life free of the "trouble" that our name brings, only to force someone you claim to love into that very same fate that you so desperately avoided! That is not the type of family this shall become, one that shirks the responsibilities of its legacy and lusts only after the luxuries that we inherit! You are greedy, my daughter" he finished, his form remaining as that of a statue, even when he raised his voice.

"Do not manipulate her in front of me old man!" yelled Winter, her voice carrying across the hall as she unsheathed her sabre in frustration. Yang and Blake widened their eyes as she pulled a weapon upon her own father, pointing it in his direction. Her eyes looked to Weiss who peered up to her as a result. "Weiss, come, we are leaving this prison" she urged her sister, expression softening as she gazed upon her.

"I told you... What makes you think she would want to leave...?" spoke their father, his voice turning more dark and sinister. Weiss sat still in her chair as she remained silent, she made no attempt to stand up.

Winter took several steps forward, "What poison have you filled her thoughts with this time!?" she growled, her eyes like daggers as they glared at her father.

In response her father moved one of his hands forward, the one closest to Weiss. With a gesture he raised his hand. Winter halted in her tracks as she saw Weiss stand to her feet as a result, stepping in front of her father and drawing Myrtenaster. Winter's expression was full of shock, she couldn't believe that her own sister had drawn her weapon in her presence like she just had. "She will not let you harm our family, Winter" spoke her father as he stood looming behind Weiss. Weiss herself still held a sorrowful expression as she stared back at Winter.

"Weiss, what are you doing!?" came Yang's voice as she approached, "She's your sister!"

Weiss closed her eyes and glanced to the side, as if struggling to keep her threatening posture. Her blue eyes snapped open as she stared back at Winter, her face now a mixture of feigned anger. "Yang, do not interfere..." came Winter's soft voice as she kept her eyes on Weiss.

"But-!" started Yang.

"This... This is a personal issue... Make sure nobody interrupts..." answered Winter, her tone of voice unlike anything Yang had heard from her before. She appeared to be at a loss of words, hopelessly uncertain of what had happened before her.

Yang looked between the two and her eyes lingered on Weiss who refused to look back, her gaze locked onto Winter alone. Yang didn't like it, it wasn't like Weiss at all, at least like the Weiss she knew from Beacon. But she trusted Winter, trusted that whatever she had planned it would be the right thing to do. She'd never hurt Weiss, at least, that was what she understood of her. With this in mind she nodded to Winter with a frown, she would do as she asked and turned to make her way back to Blake and Neo. Blake of which had a concerned expression which was understandable as she looked upon Yang as she neared. "She... She has it handled" answered Yang, refusing to watch what may transpire as she looked to the door.

"This isn't right..." replied Blake as she hesitantly did the same. Neo on the other hand kept watching, what she was staring at nobody noticed, but something had caught her keen eyes.

Myrtenaster lightly rattled, it was a result of Weiss' hand shaking slightly as her head lowered. "Weiss" came her father's voice as her posture grew more firm, her blade held still and her chin up once more. "You are doing well, in fact I am proud of how firm you are in your beliefs that this family is worth protecting" he praised, smiling down at his daughter. Though from here Winter could tell just how fake the smile was.

"Stop it!" yelled Winter furiously.

Her father watched Winter intently as he leaned forward to whisper into Weiss' ear. "Defend your legacy..." he said softly before standing up straight and taking a few steps back.

With those words Weiss' gaze narrowed as a white glyph appeared behind her, taking a ready stance to charge. Winter watched in horror as her sister prepared to attack her, holding her own sabre in a defensive posture. "Weiss..." she spoke softly, she had no desire to fight her sibling. No desire to raise her sword at her. Weiss' expression seemed to shift momentarily into a frown, but she forced herself back into an angered one, a glimmer of light forming under her eyes. She was trying so hard to keep herself focused, but in the end...

Yang and Blake couldn't help but turn around as they heard it. Using her glyph Weiss had lunged forward with Myrtenaster towards her own sister. Winter, with a sorrowful expression, side-stepped the stab before taking an immediate second step back as Weiss turned and made a wide arcing slash, catching nothing but air. She leaned in for several stabs, each parried by Winter who leapt back after the final one to create distance between the two.

Both Yang and Blake wanted nothing more than to intervene but they had to accept that Winter knew what she was doing. Glyphs lined the floor in a pattern towards Winter as Weiss began to sprint from each one, picking up speed after every glyph she passed over. Winter closed her eyes gently, regretting what she was about to do. As the silver blade of Myrtenaster came closing in she opened her eyes into narrowed slits of blue as she brought her sabre up to lock against the rapier, she overpowered her sibling and knocked the weapon aside before she reached forward, grabbing Weiss' arm and harshly pulling her towards herself as she span her body, throwing Weiss harshly against the floor as she slid forward.

"Weiss, stop this immediately!" yelled Winter as she watched her stand up to her feet. Weiss aimed her weapon at Winter once again as five smaller glyphs appeared around her. Winter took a step back as five blue missiles of ice came closing in on her. Each one she dodged deftly, swiping the last with her blade as it shattered around her. From behind the shards of ice came Weiss again with a charge, this time clipping Winter as she passed. Her aura took on the damage as she was struck again. It was a technique she often saw Weiss employ, repeated passing slashes assisted by the use of her glyphs. Though more often than not she left herself vulnerable after the combo.

After a fifth strike Winter turned to meet the sixth. She adjusted her body enough so that the piercing blade of Myrtenaster missed her by an inch. Winter them slammed her shoulder into Weiss, forcing her to crash back against the ground as she rolled back up to her feet in a sliding halt some distance from her sister. The tears in Weiss' eyes were clear now yet she was determined to hold her battle-ready expression as her father watched on with intent.

"Weiss!" yelled Winter again, but once more she would not listen as she raised her rapier high before stabbing it into the ground. A path of spiked ice began to erupt towards Winter who brought back her sabre and met the spell with a powerful uppercut. The ice shattered into shards and mist. She knew that Weiss would attack from behind the newly created cover and so prepared herself as the reflection of the sharp blade of Myrtenaster appeared within the shards of ice, glinting and revealing her attack as Weiss came lunging through the white cloud towards her. Winter took a step forward as she ducked low and used her arm to collide into the legs of Weiss who then fell straight forward, slamming into her front upon the floor.

Winter made to restrain her sister but she had already sprung back to her feet, slashing out with Myrtenaster in a desperately defensive fashion as her tears fell from her face like glittering sparks in the light. She was getting tired, she was struggling to keep up her assault. Winter's expression pleaded for her to stop as she stepped out of range from the wild slashes. But she wouldn't.

She wouldn't give up this farce. She wouldn't give up, not like she always did. She stepped back onto a glyph that slid her away from Winter to create some distance. She came to a halt as a large white glyph materialized behind her back, taking a ready posture as she prepared to charge. With a frown Winter watched her, forgoing any ready posture as a great glyph appeared behind herself. Her own dwarfed Weiss' in size. "Weiss... Don't..." spoke Winter softly, once more spotting the hesitation in her sister as her weapon trembled. There was no chance that Weiss' charge could best Winter's and both of them knew it.

"Weiss!" boomed her father's voice as the girl's eyes widened. Without a second thought her glyph launched her forward. Winter watched Weiss as her own glyph simply vanished, her hand throwing her sabre aside as the lunge came towards her. Her weapon clanged against the floor as Weiss' expression grew into that of shock and fear. Myrtenaster was on a path for Winter's heart and her sister seemed intent on leaving herself open.

Winter wrapped her arms around Weiss, the rapier had cut deep as it narrowly passed her side, her sister had done her best to alter the path of the fatal attack. The weapon was still extended behind Winter, blood dripping from its silver blade. Weiss was frozen in Winter's arms, unable to believe what she had done. "W- Winter..." she whispered as the tears only fell faster. Her sister showed no signs of pain as her arms held her tightly. Myrtenaster fell from Weiss' grasp, landing against the floor with a clatter as it rolled, the tip of the blade trailing a thin line of blood against the ground.

"It's okay..." whispered Winter, "We are getting out of here... together. We will never return... I promise you this" she added as she felt Weiss wrap her own arms around her, sobbing against her for daring to raise a weapon to her sibling. In the distance Winter spotted her father, he stared at the two as he casually pulled out a scroll from his pocket before bringing it to his ear.

"Send out that contract... Tell them we're paying a premium..." he uttered into the scroll.

Winter's eyes narrowed, "Weiss... Go to your friends now..." she spoke as her arms loosened. Weiss pulled back to look up at her confused.

"What are you going to do...?" she asked, wiping away her tears.

"Something I will undoubtedly regret" she answered, her voice growing colder as her hand slowly reached for her sabre upon the floor. Her father stared back at her as he noticed this, though it appeared he was prepared as something was approaching the door they had come in from.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Blake severed the head from a tall candle holder with Gambol Shroud before picking up the metal pole left behind and wedging it between the handles of the double doors they had entered from. The second she did the doors buckled as something tried to push it open. It would buy them some time but it wouldn't hold forever. Besides her Yang braced herself up against the door to add to its reinforcements.

Winter had picked up her sabre as she stood up to her feet, eyes matching that of her father's who glared back at her. Her left side under her arm was bleeding from the cut she received from Myrtenaster. "Useless... Useless! Both of you!" yelled her father as he brought his right hand from behind his back, an antique silver pistol in hand, its sights aimed upon the two he had wasted but a few years raising. With a resounding shot the barrel flashed.

The bullet was too fast for Winter to perceive but it wasn't her it had been directed towards however. Her eyes adjusted only in time to see Weiss. She thought her to be defenceless... But an umbrella was open in front of her as the bullet was deflected. Weiss looked up to the woman she had only seen twice. Neo. Blake and Yang turned as they heard the bullet and saw the scene, though Blake noticed something the others did not. The expression Neo wore on her face, it was one she had seen before back when Taiyang had almost attacked Yang by mistake.

The small woman looked furious for some reason as she closed her umbrella, ripping the blade out from its sheath as she ran into a sprint towards the man who pulled the trigger. The man took a step back as he aimed his pistol proper, firing off a shot towards the small woman who charged for him. The first bullet hit her, or so he thought as she shattered and re-appeared not a few steps to the left of where she was, still charging. He fired another shot and got the same response, a third and a fourth. She was closing the gap too quickly as the man looked concerned.

Windows upon either side of him shattered as two figures from each came to his defence, Atlesian soldiers that were specialized for the defence of the Schnee Dust Company, as noted by the emblem of the family upon their shoulders. All four brought out a small device and upon extending their right arms outwards the stun batons were formed fully. "We only need one, dispose of the rest!" yelled the head of the Schnee family in anger.

Neo prepared to engage in combat with the four soldiers before something passed her, something swift. Before she knew it Winter had entered into melee, her blade colliding against one of the soldiers who brought up his baton in defence, forcing him back away from the others. One moved to assist while the other two remained in defending her father. Noting that a soldier was charging towards Winter's flank Neo intercepted, her blade catching her foe's weapon arm as he stumbled aside. He turned to swing his baton towards the small woman who shattered and re-appeared upon his right flank, stabbing deeply into his waist with her piercing blade. He let out a cry before falling to the ground, clutching his wound in pain.

Winter gave a final slash to her own adversary as she cut him down. There was no more mercy within these halls as she turned to assist Neo who had engaged with the two remaining soldiers. Each one making consecutive strikes with their batons as she parried with her umbrella sheath, alternating between using it to block and opening it up to both confuse and protect herself. She side-stepped a jab with ease as Winter rushed into the opening she made, her sabre was not aimed for the two soldiers however. She made to pass between them as her blade came towards her father's throat. Just inches away it halted, she was so close.

The two soldiers were keeping her back, blocking her way. After the shock of almost having his throat slit her father took a step back and aimed his pistol towards Winter's head. Her eyes widened with rage before she felt herself being pulled back. Someone had grabbed her. Though the oddest part was... she could still see herself, she was as still as a statue but she was still there. Not a second later and the pistol fired into her image as it shattered. The soldiers and her father now looked to her in confusion, Neo finally letting go of her after having utilized her semblance.

There was nothing Winter wanted more than to continue her assault but she had to weigh her chances as more reinforcements climbed in through the windows, several more. Behind her the door was splintering, Blake and Yang having trouble keeping it shut while Weiss seemed to sit without a purpose, still shocked and appalled at what she did as her eyes stared distantly into nothing. She looked to Neo who was all but ready to resume the attack. "Neo, retreat" she ordered, the small girl glanced at her and gave a sure nod, her expression having settled back into a blank one now as her rage dissipated. As they retreated Neo remained running behind Winter, using her umbrella to deflect any shot that was fired upon them as the soldiers gave pursuit. Winter grabbed for Myrtenaster upon the floor and hastily gave it over to Weiss as she pulled her to her feet, "Weiss, help me with this one" she asked as she turned to face the small army chasing after them.

For a second Weiss stared blankly upon her sister before purpose was given to her once more, hesitantly she nodded as she turned to face the soldiers alongside her sibling. Neo passed between them as they both raised their weapons, thrusting them into the ground. Before them erupted a large wall of glistening ice, it almost reached the ceiling and completely cut them off from the rest of the room. The soldiers beat upon the solid wall with their batons but seemed to do little damage. For the time being they would be safe from that direction, the door however was another matter.

Winter turned, looking to Neo. "I want you by my sister at all times" she ordered, like a soldier herself Neo nodded as she moved to stand besides Weiss with a determined look. Winter then moved her attention to Blake and Yang, barely holding the door down. "Yang, break it down. Everything you have" she spoke.

Yang grinned at her as she took a step back, Blake moved aside as she watched her partner bring back her left fist in preparation. "Knock knock!" she yelled as she crashed Ember into the door with great force. The door practically exploded, wood splintering against the soldiers on the other side as they all fell to the floor from the impact. The blonde stepped aside as a path of ice crawled against the floor suddenly, trapping the soldiers beneath it as a result of Winter.

"I will lead, Neo and Weiss, behind me. Yang and Blake, stay on our rear!" yelled Winter as she led on into a run across the ice pathway she had created. Neo followed behind with Weiss, practically pulling her along with her while Yang and Blake chased after. Yang glanced below herself as she moved over the soldiers, they would surely die if left in the ice. Some of the hands and other body parts had been caught outside of the path and twitched in an attempt to escape.

After they crossed and made their way into the grand foyer the ice shattered behind them, if only to spare the dozens of lives that would have been lost. The soldiers were disorientated from the lack of oxygen and unable to stand or even move in their current state. Winter could see the exit before them, the old butler Klein stood in front of it and looked to her as she approached. "Forgive me, Miss Schnee" his old voice croaked as he started to pull the door open.

Winter's eyes widened as she could hear the tell-tale sounds of an Atlesian Paladin, stomping its way towards the door. "Farewell Klein" she spoke, knowing the butler was simply doing as he was ordered. The old man seemed to subtly gesture a white glove towards one of the side doors on his left. To this Winter nodded and led her group to that very door, opening it to reveal an empty hall. She knew the mansion well and understood its layout. There were various exits they could take and one of them was very near already. As she ran through the door Blake turned to shut it, being the last one through. Before she did however she saw the Paladin turn its attention towards where they had fled, a large group of military soldiers following after it.

As they ran down the hall the door they had left behind was utterly destroyed as a mechanical fist blasted through it. It retracted as the Paladin sought another route towards its prey for it was too large to enter the hallway. In its place however multiple soldiers gave pursuit as they started to flood through the opening like a wave. The group came upon an intersection as they turned left, ahead of them another intersection with a large metallic door between the diverting paths, it was an exit they could use as besides the door like many of the others was a keypad with a small screen. These doors were newer additions to the mansion and served as additional security, especially for the area beneath the mansion.

Winter rushed up to the keypad as she hammered in a five digit code. The metallic door gave a clunk before it started sliding up at a slow pace. As soon as a large enough gap was created Winter turned to Neo and Weiss, gesturing for them to go through. Neo nodded to Winter as she pulled Weiss through the exit. As soon as they made it through the door abruptly slammed shut. With a shocked expression Winter looked to the keypad and hammered in the code again, a flashing red exclamation mark appeared on the screen. She turned to Yang, "Yang, break it down!" she yelled in a hurry. The blonde turned and nodded as she brought her fist up, sending it right for the door. She made contact as the vibrations rushed through her arm at the sudden halt. She stumbled back from the door, having only made a dent and scorch mark. "Damn it!" yelled Winter as she looked both left and right. To her right were more intercepting soldiers, the left way however was clear.

Blake aimed Gambol Shroud high as she fired off a shot against the chain of one of the many chandeliers of the halls. She did this for both the way they came and the hall on the right as the heavy metallic objects crashed down, somewhat obstructing the path for a moment or so and buying them just a little more time as the three continued on their rush to escape the mansion. "Where now!?" yelled Yang as she chased after Winter.

"The safest exit would be beneath the mansion, it is a shipping facility with plenty of large exits" responded the woman as she turned another corner. Ahead of them now was a set of steps that led down.

"Doesn't sound like we have any other choice!" replied Blake from behind the two as they reached the steps, swiftly beginning to descend. The further down they got the more practical their surroundings became. No more fancy chandeliers, no more paintings. Just sheer empty and plain white walls and floors. They emerged into a wider hall with various boxes and work tools. Ahead of them the open frame of another metallic door.

"Good, they have not sealed this area yet!" yelled Winter as she rushed through the opening, turning to the keypad on the other side as Yang and Blake made their way to her. With a few presses the door slammed shut. The area they were in now was wide and open, conveyor belts on one side, boxes on another. But for the most part it was a clearing. To their left was another open door. Looking ahead and above they could see a type of catwalk, only it was surrounded with glass and seemed to lead to the outside. "Up there, that is where we make for" spoke Winter as she gestured for the two to follow as they made their way to the left doorway.

Something in Winter's heart sank however as she neared the door. Blake and Yang were right behind her, she could hear this. But... something wasn't right...

Winter slid to a halt as she came to the door, Yang and Blake passed her by as she unsheathed her sabre. It came into contact with a red blade as she pushed with all her might, sending the attacker stumbling back some distance. Yang turned at the sound of the metallic clash, Winter had her back turned to her but someone was in front of the woman. She could barely recognize the outline.

"Keep moving..." spoke Winter's voice softly as her hand moved to the keypad behind her.

"W- Winter wait!" yelled Yang as she reached for her, the metallic door slamming shut in her face.

Red flashing alarms began to appear all around them, Yang slammed her fist against the door again to no effect as Blake grabbed her shoulder. "You heard her, she knows what she's doing. She always does" she spoke.

Yang was sure the figure she saw was familiar. She swore that she knew who it was. "The catwalk... We can still help her, we just need to get up there and break through the glass!" yelled Yang as she turned into a sprint.

"Y- Yang, you're not thinking straight!" called Blake as she chased after her.

Winter's eyes narrowed as her blade was held out in front of her. "So this is what he meant when he mentioned a contract..." she spoke as slowly she began to circle her opponent. "To think that some Huntresses can fall so low as to become petty mercenaries..." she continued, her sabre never leaving the target as its point remained stuck. "And as silent as ever..." she added.

Her foe circled her in return, the two pacing as their eyes locked. The absurdly lengthy red blade dragging across the floor behind the woman, the red eyes beneath her mask ever intimidating.

"Just so we are clear... I will not restrain myself. Wherever you are his sister or not" stated Winter as she came to a halt. The woman opposite her, Raven Branwen, also halted as her red blade slowly sheathed itself, the dust container revolving before locking into place. The contract Winter's father had sent out could only be one to the less honourable hunters and huntresses of the world, the ones that walked away from their path to protect others. With the amount of wealth her father wielded it was only natural that he would attract some of the best.

Winter took a single step back as a dozen glyphs appeared behind her, and then another dozen. Her glare turned to fury as each one fired forth a missile of blue ice, an attack that was simply overwhelming as they all homed in on their target. Raven took her own step back and lowered her stance as she unsheathed her blade, fire trailing it as the dust within the container activated. A swath of flame engulfed the missiles as they vanished into nothing.

A shining blade pierced the flames left behind as Winter charged. The red katana swiped up and parried the blow before retracting and delivering a counter strike. Winter was able to parry the slash but slid back from the force. As she came to a halt she paused before straightening her posture and aiming her blade once more at Raven. This was a woman that simply outmatched her.

Raven sheathed her blade as the revolver turned again. As soon as Winter saw her move to place the weapon back into its scabbard she slammed her sabre into the ground as eruptions of ice made their way towards her target. Raven unleashed her blade into a downwards strike as lightning began to slam down in succession along the path of ice, once more utilizing dust and utterly destroying the ice as the bolts made their way towards Winter who used a glyph to swiftly avoid the attack. She used a second to launch herself into the air as her weapon split into two. With a short blade now in hand she came crashing down towards Raven who sheathed her blade once more.

The third time she unsheathed her weapon a powerful gust of wind knocked Winter off balance as she missed her target, her blade piercing the ground in front of her instead as a boot came colliding into her face. The kick sent her sliding onto her back and she held the cut on her side she received from Weiss in pain, finally feeling its effects as she fought. When she opened her eyes she could see Raven descending towards her with blade at the ready. She rolled to the side as the red blade stabbed deeply into the floor next to her.

Finally on her feet again she charged into a flurry of stabs with both weapons. Raven parried and dodged many and returned her own attacks, to which Winter responded similarly. But once more her wound got the better of her as she struggled to put her might into blocking an attack, it disarmed her longer sabre as she stumbled. Prioritizing on this moment Raven brought her blade back in deadly preparation.

Above in the catwalk Yang and Blake had finally appeared, they could see the two. More importantly, Yang could see _her_. Her eyes widened as the red blade lunged forward.

With a gasp Winter's eyes widened. The drops of blood dripped onto the floor and they echoed in her ears. She could hear something else, a muffled voice. It was yelling her name. She struggled to breathe as she felt her legs grow weaker, as they started to shake.

What happened?

Raven pulled the sword from Winter's chest. She began to fall forward towards Raven who reached out her hand, placing it upon Winter's shoulder to casually push her aside instead. She fell upon the floor, her hand clutching at the bleeding wound in her chest. Above in the catwalk she could see Yang and Blake, their eyes staring back at her. Yang was yelling, her eyes were red and her hair was burning. Her fist repeatedly smashing into the glass that proved far more durable than she first expected. Each smash was a loud thud in her ears, growing more intense with each one.

The woman that had stabbed her was walking away towards the door Yang and Blake had escaped to. She couldn't let them down. She couldn't give up. Her left hand clutched around the smaller dagger in her grasp as with all the might she had left she pushed herself up into a sitting position. She brought the dagger back and hurled it forwards. Raven reached for the keypad as the silver blade pierced the device, rendering it useless.

Slowly she saw Raven turn to her, a pause of consideration before she began a brisk pace in her direction, blade dragging against the floor ominously. The beating on the window grew louder but it would not break. The screams grew more intense as Raven started running for her, the red blade came slashing in her direction in brutal fashion.

Yang paused in horror as she heard a thud after the slash, her hand began to tremble as she took a step back. Blake likewise was stood in disbelief at what had just occurred. Raven below looked up to the two before slowly turning to face them, the blood still dripping from her crimson sword. Yang clenched her fist until her knuckles were white. What right did this woman who abandoned her have to take away those she cared about? What reason should she still be allowed to live after what she had done? She let out a cry of fury as her hair burst into even brighter flames. Blake looked to her as she snapped out of her daze, her own expression turning into an angered one as she readied Gambol Shroud. Together they would do this. Together they would enact vengeance.

With a blast of Celica upon her ankle, Yang propelled herself towards the window as Ember collided into it. The window finally gave in as it shattered, Blake quickly following her partner from the new opening as they lunged down towards Raven. The woman had already raised her blade and with one would-be fatal strike...

A large red and black shape appeared before them, unable to alter their descent they were headed straight for it. When they passed through the strange portal a rush of cold air flew over them as they crashed into wet snow harshly, the rain slamming down upon them as another burst of lightning erupted from the sky. A boom of thunder bellowing after.

They had failed.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"Winter!" cried Weiss as she looked back, the metal reinforced door having separated herself and Neo from the rest of the group. She reached her hand towards it before hearing a loud thud against the other end. There was no way through, the material was too dense. Neo's hand was around her wrist and she felt her tug at her, gesturing for the her to keep moving. For a second Weiss kept her eyes on the door before being pulled along what remained of the hall. Ahead of them a clear exit in the form of a window that was at ground level. Before they reached it Weiss ground herself to a halt, once more prompting a glance from Neo. "We... We can't just leave her here, we need to go back!" yelled Weiss in a concerned manner, her face full of worry.

Neo stared at the woman before shaking her head at her and tugging at her wrist once more. In response Weiss attempted to pull her wrist back, to which she succeeded as Neo lost grip. Now free Weiss ran for the only other direction besides the window that she could. Looking around the corner she could see down a second hall, in the far distance soldiers were searching. She felt Neo grab her arm and pull her away from the corner. When Weiss turned with an annoyed expression she saw that Neo was frowning at her.

Weiss looked uncertain as she spoke, "I can still help her" she said. Neo again shook her head slowly before pointing her other hand to the window. "I won't leave her!" yelled Weiss as she grew angered at Neo's persistence to flee. Suddenly she felt Neo tug at her arm as she moved around her. With a painful twist Weiss was pushed face first against the wall with her weapon arm folded behind her back. She let out a yelp of pain as Neo applied enough pressure on her arm for Weiss to drop Myrtenaster, the second she did so she was thrown to the ground in front of the window.

She grit her teeth as she stood to turn and face Neo but upon standing the point of her own familiar blade was poking beneath her chin, forcing her to tilt her head up and stumble back against the window. Neo had taken the rapier in her own hand, her glare determined. In one swift movement she pulled the blade back before thrusting it forward. Weiss shut her eyes tight as the sting of the weapon pierced the window behind her, shattering it as its shards fell upon the snow and dirt outside. Upon realising she had not been harmed she opened her eyes to see Neo once more aiming the silver rapier at her. She gestured her head for the newly created exit.

All Weiss could do was oblige as she slowly stepped backwards out of the window, held by the throat with her own weapon. Her captor followed her out from the window, stepping down into the snow and the rain. Instantly the chilling rain began to drench the two as they stood at a pause. Myrtenaster was withdrawn from Weiss' throat before being flipped into the air casually. Neo caught the blade and now held out the grip of the rapier towards Weiss who stared upon it in confusion. To her at least it seemed that Neo was demonstrating her ability to disable Weiss should she choose to not follow her. With hesitation she took her rapier back and looked upon the (for once) shorter woman. Both of their clothes were now beginning to soak as their hair clung to their skin.

The area around them was clear and open, the terrain moving down into a slope away from the mansion. Only the rain had started removing the snow steadily, making the ground soggy and wet, the combination of rain and snow forming a type of slush in the dirt. They could not stay here forever though, if they did not escape and find some form of shelter the climate would surely be the death of them. Over to their right the sound of something mechanical turned the corner. It caught their attention as they looked to the Atlesian Paladin that had been searching for them since it broke into the grand foyer. Its left arm whirred as a gattling gun sprung to life, its bullets already firing against the ground beneath it as it started to raise its arm towards the two. A path of bullets began to rip up the ground as it trailed towards them.

With wide eyes Neo tackled herself into Weiss and sent the both of them rolling down the dirt and snow covered slope. Where they stood previously was now a mess of shredded earth. The Paladin lowered itself somewhat as two bursts of flame erupted from the back of its would-be feet. With an agile speed for such a large contraption it sped towards the top of the slope they fell from and turned itself to face them as the jets of flame halted. Two thick spikes on either side of its feet penetrated into the dirt as to slow its speed, sliding against the wet mixture upon the ground as it came to a halt. The Paladin seemed to have two red slits on each side of its cockpit that scanned the area down the slope. A wave of red light passed over the two as it detected them, sitting in the snow as if trying to stand back up.

Upon its shoulders two hatches opened to reveal multiple missiles ready to fire. In a burst of flame they hurled down towards Weiss and Neo in a scattered and wild fashion, carpeting the area they were sat defenceless in. The dirt and smoke kicked up and obscured the area of impact, but it was safe to say that anything within that area was now gone. The Paladin in its mechanical nature remained still however, to confirm the kill. After the obscuration cleared it found no presence of neither target, only pummelled ground. Its sensors caught movement upon its right as Neo lunged towards its optics with her thin blade. She pierced deeply into one of its four eyes as the machine recoiled and started shaking itself violently as to remove Neo. When she found her chance she kicked her boot against the cockpit of the machine as she pulled her sword from its eye, launching herself from the Paladin before landing on her feet besides Weiss.

Neo had used her semblance before the missile barrage and had long since moved to a safer distance from the area of impact. With its three eyes the Paladin looked down at the two, for a second it paused as the red eyes shifted into a deep blue. The machine lowered itself as it prepared to charge down the slope and towards its targets, knowing its stance this time Neo prepared accordingly. To her eyes she started to walk away from her own image, positioning herself into a flanking spot as she used her semblance once again. The Paladin then charged down the hill as the jets of flame erupted from behind it once more. As it came down the slope however it seemed to curve as it adjusted its coarse straight for Neo, the real Neo.

With a shocked expression Neo acted quickly as she dived out of the machine's path. She narrowly avoided its charge as it turned and slid to a halt. It had known exactly where she was this time. It was then she noticed the blue eyes, it must have been tracking her heat, something her illusions couldn't hide. Neo was never made for taking on such enemies single-handedly. Her attacks were often too light, she had precision but sheer power was something she simply lacked and as a result she was more suited towards taking out softer targets, like people.

While its attention was distracted something lunged into one of the eyes of the Paladin, a silver rapier. The machine recoiled again as two of its four eyes were now disabled. Weiss kicked off of the Paladin only to land herself against a second glyph in the air, launching back into an instant second attack, piercing yet another eye as the machine stumbled further. Neo ran up to its flank as she readied herself to make an attempt on the fourth and final eye as Weiss pushed herself off of the Paladin, landing on her feet a safe distance away.

She charged towards the Paladin as its right arm seemed to alter itself heavily. A large wide blade protruded from its wrist as it turned in a swing towards Neo, the blade ripping up the ground in its path towards her. With her agility she jumped forwards, boots landing on the blade as she used it as a platform to leap towards the cockpit from. Her slender sword pierced the final eye as she swiftly disengaged from it. After a second the machine started to twitch before seemingly freezing in place, as if powered off. Neo peered over to Weiss before briskly making her way over to her. Weiss herself was watching the machine with narrowed eyes. It was too easy.

From the sides of its cockpit appeared multiple laser devices that started scanning the area. Neo halted as she saw this and moved in front of Weiss in a defensive manner. They hadn't disabled the Paladin, it seemed almost like it had just... rebooted itself. The gattling gun upon its left arm retracted as in its place folded out a mechanical arm with a hand. One of the lasers passed over Weiss and not a split-second after it did all of them aimed upon her. She took a step back cautiously as the Paladin faced the two, its left robotic claw opening wide as if for some reason its objective had been changed from kill to capture.

The Paladin lunged forward with its grasping arm as both Neo and Weiss dodged backwards with the help of a glyph. The two of them alone could not do enough damage to halt this creation, its plating was too thick and durable. Neo pushed herself back against Weiss, holding out an arm in front of her as if gesturing for them to retreat. As they moved back the Paladin advanced towards them, its blade at its side with its grasping hand in front of itself ominously.

Another burst of lightning erupted from the sky over the mansion, alarms could be heard echoing out from it.

The Paladin started to charge as the two attempted to flee further down the slope. The machine proved swift however, the claw coming in right behind Weiss. Neo glanced at the attempt and once again tackled into the woman besides her as the two continued to fall down the slope, rolling and slamming against multiple bumps and rocks beneath the snow and mud. Another strike of lightning came from the sky, this time however it seemed to brutally make contact with the Paladin that veered from its path as a result, splinters of metal launching out from its back as it stumbled and fell into the ground heavily, sliding against the wet floor.

Finally rolling to a halt Neo looked up to see the Paladin, its lasers flickered and its form twitched, it was still active as slowly it attempted to upright itself. Neo looked down to Weiss beneath her before standing up to her feet and pulling the woman up. She grabbed her by the arm as they resumed fleeing, the place that made most sense to them was the city but it was still far off down the hill and they couldn't keep counting on stray strikes of lightning. The large slope divided as to their left now was an elevated piece of land. Neo tugged Weiss towards it as a thought struck her. She pushed her against the small cliff-face of the ledge and then struck the area above them with the blunt force of her umbrella. She pulled Weiss down to the ground as she opened up her umbrella above them, the snow falling atop the two and burying them.

It was a desperate measure but it was all she could think of, they wouldn't be able to outrun the Paladin after all, of which had finally stood back to its feet. Its lasers scanned the area around it before its heat-seeking blue eyes re-appeared, having been self-repaired. The final form of the Paladin was nothing if not prepared for any occasion. Through its vision it continued to glance around but its optics could pick up no heat. It looked over exactly where Weiss and Neo were but still could not see them.

After failing to identify its targets the Paladin turned as it started to slowly trudge away, eyes ever scanning from left and right. Neo listened for the sounds of its thudding footsteps desperately. The cold was getting to her and she could feel her body shudder, even pressed against Weiss as she was beneath the snow did little to help. Weiss herself was dealing with the temperature far better than Neo was capable of. After all, she had grown up here. But that wasn't to say that the cold didn't effect her at all. Once the footsteps of the Paladin had moved from range of their hearing Neo stood up, the snow falling from the umbrella as the freezing rain continued to crash down. She offered her hand down to Weiss who looked up to her. Today alone it could be considered that Neo had saved Weiss multiple times. It was then she recalled what Winter had ordered of her before they were separated. She had asked Neo to remain by her side at all times and the girl seemed intent on fulfilling that command.

She took Neo's hand and was pulled to her feet. Neo's umbrella did some amount to stop the rain from falling upon the two as she pointed her finger out towards the city of Atlas. Weiss' blue eyes followed her gesture. They were in no state to fight as fatigued and frozen by the weather as they were. Going back to the mansion would surely be suicide but if there was perhaps a chance she could regroup with Winter and the others then Neo was her best bet to do so right now. It would have been near impossible to find them amidst the storm they found themselves. She looked down to the tracks the Paladin had left behind, it had moved towards the direction of the city in mechanical assumption that it would be where they would flee to. As a result they would be forced to move slowly as to not catch up to it, but at the same time they could not last long on this hill and every minute spent here stole what time they had.

With what little choice they had the two remained close to one another as they started to descend the rest of the hill. The tracks of the Paladin soon turned into straight lines, signalling to them that it had increased its speed. With any luck they themselves would be allowed to progress faster now. Neo had wrapped an arm around the waist of Weiss and held her close, her other hand forever keeping her umbrella above them. Once again Neo could feel the cold creeping through her body, she started to feel tired, weak. Her eyes barely open as her footsteps started to drag through the mud and snow. When Weiss noticed this she wrapped her own arm around her to help steady her footing. The two times she saw Neo before, she was an enemy. But it seemed much had changed since Beacon, she would have to find her sister and the others to clear up recent events.

For now though, she just had to keep walking and making sure the woman that had saved her four or five times today didn't perish along the way. Lightning crested the sky again, the storm had been raging for hours now and still showed little sign of dissipating. She felt Neo growing heavier as she tried to help her along but it didn't take further until the small girl's legs gave in, collapsing to the floor. Weiss caught her but fell to her knees in the process. She took her umbrella and held it up towards the storm as she pulled Neo against herself, her eyes looking every way for any kind of assistance. Peering down to her she spoke, "J- Just hold- on" shivered Weiss. How quickly enemies could become allies she thought to herself.

Harsh winds picked up and only caused the rain to drop down against them harder. Covered in dirt and soaked to the bone Weiss looked around once more. There was nothing in sight, nobody who could come to their aid. Neo had closed her eyes and attempted to curl herself into a ball against Weiss, shivering uncontrollably. The situation was dire and there was no immediate solution to be seen.

Perhaps Neo was wrong, maybe they should have gone back into the mansion and searched for the others. Weiss shut her eyes tightly as another rush of cold wind and rain hit her back, her ponytail, muddied as it was from all the falling, over flailed in the wind.

This hill was going to be the death of them.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Yang felt disorientated as she pushed herself to her feet, stumbling from side to side. Her eyes remained a shade of red and she could feel her semblance was still at work. The rage hadn't left her however, turning to see that she was now outside with the mansion in the distance. Blake was besides her and only just standing up herself. "Wh- What...?" asked the Faunus in confusion as she glanced around. The rain lashed at them alongside the wind.

There was only one thought in Yang's mind, she had to get back to the mansion, she had to avenge Winter. She took a step forward and paused to hold her hand to her head, she felt light and dizzy. She shook her head as her burning blonde hair swayed behind her, trying to shake away the feeling. Below her in the muddy snow she could see something moving, a red dot. It made its way along the floor and onto her boot before running up her body. She looked up to see it ahead, the Atlesian Paladin in the distance. It seemed to twitch repeatedly and its back was scorched and damaged as if struck by the lightning. In fact it probably had been. Multiple lasers aimed at Yang as it lowered its form in preparation to charge.

"Yang watch out! Winter said we can't take one of those by ourselves!" called Blake as she looked to the machine as jets of flame erupted from the back of its feet, propelling it along the slippery ground and towards the two. Its right arm was formed into a large sword and its left a mechanical claw.

She was still furious and she didn't have time for this. She brought her fist back and hurled it forwards recklessly to meet the iron fist of the Paladin. The two made contact but the construct proved the stronger as its power slammed into her. The strike sent Yang hurdling against the ground as she slid to a halt, the machine attempted to press on towards her but was intercepted by Blake who stood between the two. The Paladin pulled back its sword arm and brought it towards her in a low swipe. It made contact against her legs, severing them as her clone took the hit and vanished. She appeared higher in the air now as she hurled Gambol Shroud towards the cockpit, the blade embedding itself into the metal as she pulled herself towards it, planting her feet against the hull. While secure from falling off she delivered repeated strikes with her cleaver-like sheath to the metal surface of the machine and with each blow it stumbled back.

The hatches upon its shoulders opened to reveal the missiles ready to fire point blank into Blake and with a hail of fire they did just that. But once more the Faunus proved that she was a capable fighter, using her semblance to take the full blast while she leapt back for cover. The Paladin recoiled as its cockpit was scorched by its own missiles, the hatches closing as it aimed its grasping claw forward. Blake had made enough distance for its attempt to grab her to be utterly futile. The ever adapting machine displayed why it was the final design though as its claw fired towards her, a winch attaching it to its arm. She widened her eyes, any attempt to avoid the claw would now be too slow.

It halted in front of her and fell to the floor like a dead weight, she looked over to see that Yang had caught the winch in her hand. With an angered expression she pulled on it and amazingly the Paladin was tugged forward, stabilizing itself as to keep from being thrown around like a rag-doll. Its form shifted again against the wet ground, the winch creaking under the pressure. Two thick and large nails upon either of its feet stabbed into the earth, preventing it from being pulled any further. Its lasers focused upon Blake who had jumped up onto its claw and started sprinting along the winch and towards its body, weapons at the ready.

The cold and calculating machine suddenly released its nail-like stabilizers and allowed itself to be pulled by Yang's force. The sudden shift in momentum caused Blake to lose her footing and fall from the winch as Yang stumbled back and against the floor, her own power having been used against her as the Paladin slid forward. The winch immediately started to pull and return its claw to its arm, locking it in place. Its sword raised and aimed to chop down towards Blake who rolled to the side before aiming her pistol up to its cockpit, firing off several shots and taking out one of its main eyes and two lasers. The machine turned its full attention to the Faunus and raised its blade once more before bringing it down a second time. With a burst from Celica Yang intercepted the attack and punched Ember into the blade, the hit she had taken earlier from the Paladin only made her stronger as her fist knocked aside the sword, crashing it into the snow besides Blake who leapt up towards cockpit once more to deal with what was left of its optics.

The Paladin shook itself as Gambol Shroud made repeated slashes against it, in its flurry its claw curled into a fist and hurled itself towards Yang who went to meet it with her own fist once again. They connected but this time the result was different. At first Yang recoiled, her aura taking more damage as the Paladin bested her and went in for a second strike. Another of its eyes being taken out by Blake as its claw made contact with Yang's fist again. The connection was made and both Yang and the Paladin recoiled their arms from the impact this time. Each strike was only making Yang stronger but how long would her aura keep her standing? In refusal to back down the Paladin made a third strike, two of its protruding laser devices falling from its cockpit after having been severed by Blake once more.

When the fist of Yang and the iron claw of the Paladin collided they paused into a deadlock. Yang grit her teeth as she tried to force more pressure against the machine as its arm buckled but returned the same amount of pressure. Yang's arm began to shake as two jets of flame roared out from behind the feet of the Paladin, pushing Yang back slowly as it became determined to beat her down this time. Blake stabbed her blade deep into the hull of the machine, she had created a mess of deep cuts into the cockpit by now but the stubborn machine kept pushing.

Yang shut her eyes, the strain on her arm becoming worse. She refused to let this tin can get the best of her as she opened her glaring red eyes. With a blast from Celica behind herself she overpowered the Paladin, pushing its claw back and upsetting its balance. She then fired Ember while still pushing her fist against the claw. The Paladin's arm flung back from the force as its jet powered feet accelerated. The shift in momentum of two parts of its body caused it to fall upon its back as Blake clung to it. "Blake!" yelled Yang as she reached out her hand in front of herself. The Faunus turned and nodded, ripping Gambol Shroud from the cockpit and hurling it towards Yang who caught it in her hand. She raised her right leg and stomped Celica down against the ground as she launched herself into the air with a blast. Blake dashed towards the spot Yang had just been in while gripping the black ribbon with both hands as she swung it down.

The two practically swapped positions as the back of Yang's heel came down towards the face of the Paladin. It crushed into the metallic plating of the cockpit, cracking its surface before Celica kicked off of it with a second close-range blast. Yang landed by Blake's side before holding out Gambol Shroud to her. The two looked upon the Paladin, it was still as it laid upon its back. It appeared they had defeated the machine.

Yang leaned forward as she started to pant, the fight having taken much from her with the repeated impacts she took. Blake held an arm around her in order to steady her partner. "I- I don't think..." began Yang, looking over the Paladin and towards the mansion, her eyes fading from red to lilac as her hair returned to normal.

Blake understood, the both of them were too fatigued to mount a revenge mission on the mansion. She frowned and held her arm tighter around Yang as the rain descended upon them. "We'll come back..." she spoke in response.

Amidst the sound of the rain, the wind and the thunder another sound joined the fray. It seemed like engines, or some sort of vehicle. Blake looked over Yang's shoulder and could see something approaching, large metallic vehicles, armoured to the teeth and travelling across the road that went by them. Before she could tell Yang she heard the blonde gasp. The Faunus felt herself pushed to the ground by her partner only to see a metal claw envelop her. Yang held her fist out in defence as the metal tried to crush around her body. The Paladin had launched its claw at her using its winch once more, even after all this it was still active as it sparked and twitched.

"Yang!" screamed Blake as she lunged for the winch, bringing her cleaver down upon it. She made minimal damage to it and slashed down again. Yang could feel her aura being depleted, using all her strength to push against the palm of the claw as to avoid being crushed completely. Blake cut down for a third time, it was too slow, she wasn't getting through it fast enough. She could hear one of the armoured trucks driving up behind them as its wheels skid to a halt.

Before Blake could deliver another strike the winch started to recoil as in a second the claw was pulled back to the arm of the Paladin. A shimmer of yellow appeared around Yang, her aura being depleted completely as her arm gave in. Her body was firmly grasped by the claw now as she let out a scream of pure agony as the machine started to crush her, her cry echoing out.

Blake never felt herself scream Yang's name so loud before, her voice turning coarse as she rushed towards the machine in a desperate attempt to save her partner, driving Gambol Shroud into the face of the Paladin once more, stabbing into the metal as hard as she could as she cried out in frustration.

From behind her a voice called out, "Sir it's not responding!" it yelled.

A man's voice replied, one she was sure she had heard before, "Bring the turret around, aim for the arm!" it yelled. A blast tore open the left shoulder of the Paladin as its claw-arm fell to the ground, the machine twitching once more while still active. Blake's hearing had turned to ringing, the impact having thrown her off of the machine. She crawled her way over to the claw and reached her hands to it, trying to pry it open. She could see Yang, frozen in its clutches, her body limp and her eyes closed.

"Y- Yang!" called out Blake once more, desperately trying to pull the claw apart. Her hearing came back into focus and she could hear multiple boots rushing towards her. She turned to see Atlesian soldiers and readied her weapons in defence. But they ignored her, rushing straight to the claw around Yang as they all worked together to pry it open. Blake watched in confusion, it was then she noticed that these soldiers didn't have the Schnee logo upon them like the others in the mansion had.

"Get a medic!" called out one of the men as they successfully opened the claw up, crowding around Yang. Blake felt useless, unable to contribute towards the safety of her partner.

"Miss Belladonna, right?" came that familiar voice once more. Blake turned, the tears still in her eyes as she saw a tall man dressed in white, his hair black and greying in places. There was a strip of silver metal above his right brow and his eyes were a deep blue shade. A man she knew as General Ironwood. Blake could barely form a response to his initial question as he continued. "Do you know where Winter and Weiss Schnee are? I know you were travelling with the former, you can trust me" he spoke. Blake's eyes lingered upon the group of soldiers, now carrying Yang on a stretcher and rushing back to their armoured vehicle, of which the small turret on the top was still smoking.

"I- Winter is- She's at the mansion and Weiss-" she paused, looking down. "Weiss and Neo escaped, we were split up but they got out, I don't know where they are but- But Winter she..." she swallowed, the images flooding back into her thoughts.

The General nodded at her slowly, "Winter Schnee...?" he spoke, as if not believing what he had just heard. "Go with my men to the armoured transport, you'll be safe there, both of you. And you have my word Miss Belladonna, we'll find your friends. The Schnee Dust Company has overstepped itself this time" he answered. He turned to call over two men and they came arriving. "Troops, escort Miss Belladonna here to the transport unit, treat her and her friend as high priority subjects and get double the medical attention on Xiao Long" he ordered. The troops saluted and looked to Blake, standing at either side of her and waiting for her to be ready to move.

Blake looked back to the Paladin as a group of soldiers surrounded it with aimed rifles before she was led to the vehicle where Yang was taken. She watched as the General signalled for some more men, some of the vehicles in the column started moving out into the snowy wastes of the hill as a result, no doubt to search the area for Weiss and Neo. She moved out from the rain and into the back of the large armoured transport, a group of medics were surrounding Yang and so she was unable to see her as she was seated upon a bench. The back hatch of the vehicle slowly started to close as she overhead the medics. "If not for this damn storm we could fly back" sighed one of them.

"We can make do for now, the drive isn't that long" replied the other medic.

"It's not time I'm worried about, if she doesn't stay sedated every bump we hit is going to be the agony for her, and these trucks really suck" answered the other medic. Blake looked over to them with concern.

"Is..." she began, one of them glancing back at her, waiting for her to finish. "Is she..." she continued, trying to put her words together.

The medic paused and looked down to Yang. Blake feared the worst from that pause as he looked back to her, though he smiled. "She'll recover, it'll just take some time" he answered with confidence before returning to his work. Blake felt relieved to hear that she was going to be okay but she was still shaking, not from the cold but from the scream she heard. That blood-curdling scream from her partner as she was pulled into the claw. As it slowly constricted and started to crush her body.

One of the medics spoke in a lower tone, likely so that Blake wouldn't hear but her Faunus ears granted her that luxury. "All of these fractures though... She'll be in torment... I don't think a single one of her ribs didn't get cracked..." he spoke, Blake's gaze lowering to the metallic floor of the truck, it had since started moving and all she could hear were the thrums of the engine, the rain hitting the roof of the vehicle and the medical team speaking.

"Hey I'm just glad the spine was untouched, she's one lucky girl when you take that into account" whispered one of the other medics as the truck continued down the hill, returning to the safety of the city.

* * *

Weiss shuddered another breath, she couldn't feel her feet or her hands as she held Neo tight, embracing her as closely as she could for warmth, not only for herself but for her too. The girl in her arms hadn't moved or opened her eyes since she closed them and she started to worry. The rain beat down against the umbrella more, she had heard distant explosions in the direction the Paladin had ran in but she lacked the strength to move herself any more, never mind with Neo. A low thrumming was coming closer, the sound of an engine? Weiss shuddered as she turned her head in the direction of the sound, she tried her best to raise the umbrella higher so that anyone could see her. An armoured vehicle was coming into view, she tried to call out to it but her voice was lost to her, her lips opening but making no sound.

But thankfully she didn't have to as the vehicle proceeded towards her, turning slightly as it came to a halt, soldiers and medics moving out from the back of it as they rushed to the aid of the two.

* * *

The General stomped his way down one of the many hallways of the mansion, his expression angered as besides him was Weiss' father. "You forget yourself Mr Schnee, Winter is _my_ agent" spoke the General.

"An agent that deserted your army for a personal vendetta" replied the man, behind them were several of the General's own men.

"She still falls under my jurisdiction!" responded the General in a heated fashion as the two came upon a door. The General opened it and stood inside, his blue eyes gazing over to a medical bed. A heart monitor beeped steadily, the wires linking up towards the bed as in it laid a pale woman with long silver-white hair, her arms at her sides and her eyes closed. The General narrowed his eyes, seeing that her left hand was completely missing.

Mr Schnee approached the General's side as he looked down to Winter. "The Huntress that took the contract was rather... harsh in her methods of capture. She pierced her lung but my medical team was able to stabilize her in time. A shame about the hand" he answered.

Winter laid silent in her bed with her eyes closed, the heart monitor still beeping at a steady rate. "I'm taking her with me" answered the General.

"You will do no such thing-" began Mr Schnee as his expression soured.

The General turned to face the man, pointing a gloved finger at him. "Do not turn this into a complicated situation. Weiss is the sole heiress of your company and she ran from home and that sounds like your problem, do not try to replace her with one of my soldiers, because then you make it my problem too" he stated firmly.

The old man grumbled under his breath as he turned to look upon his daughter.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Blake was sat upon a chair outside of a closed door. There was a blanket around her shoulders and her hair was still wet from the rain outside. Her golden gaze stared to the floor at a loss, her expression sombre. She could hear footsteps pass in front of her upon the hard floor as they echoed through the white hall which she found herself in. The storm outside still hadn't let up as a distant boom of thunder was heard.

Her mind was trapped in the events that had occurred not an hour or so before. How she was completely unable to save Yang from the Paladin after it grasped its claw around her. If not for the General's men Yang would have died there and then and she wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. It crushed her heart as she closed her eyes, forcing back the tears. If she was faster, stronger, if she had maybe paid more attention... She heard the scream in her thoughts again as she shuddered, shutting her eyes tighter to block the memory out.

The General had informed her that Weiss and Neo had been found and not only that but Winter was alive. She hadn't the chance to see anyone other than Yang and that was before they took her into the room she now sat outside of. Winter and Neo were also in there they had told her, but Weiss was taken elsewhere to have herself checked as she was considered of less priority than the other three due to their critical nature. Everything had happened so fast, too fast.

She could hear heels clacking towards her down the hall as her ears twitched beneath her black bow, opening her golden eyes as she could see two deep blue heels and a light blue skirt that partly covered thin pale legs. Her eyes darted up to meet the soft blue gaze of Weiss. She too had a towel wrapped around her upper form, her hair still wet and clinging to her skin. Immediately Blake stood to her feet as she wrapped her arms around her friend, holding her tightly as Weiss returned the gesture. It was the first proper reunion they had since being separated, they hadn't the luxury to stop and take in the fact during their time at the mansion.

"Weiss! Are you okay?" asked Blake as she pulled back from the embrace, her hands placed upon the shorter woman's shoulders as her expression filled itself with concern.

Weiss nodded with a slight shiver. "Y- Yes... Just a little cold..." she forced a smile at her friend. "What about you? Is Winter in there?" she asked, her eyes glancing towards the closed door besides Blake.

"I'm fine just..." Blake paused as she looked to the door and back towards Weiss. "Weiss, about your sister..." she began.

As if anticipating Weiss asked hesitantly, "How bad is it...?"

She struggled to force the words from her mouth as she spoke, "We... We thought she was... When it happened..." she answered as her eyes glanced away from her. It was easy for Weiss to piece together what Blake was trying to say as she turned and made for the door in a brisk pace. She was halted as Blake caught her arm. "Wait, they're still working in there, we can't go in yet" said the Faunus.

Weiss looked back to her, "What? I'm her sister" she answered.

"I know but running in will only make things worse. We need to wait" pleaded Blake as her grip upon her arm loosened. Weiss turned her attention back to the door as she frowned. "It's for the best" added Blake.

Weiss lowered her head before moving herself to sit down upon one of the chairs outside of the room. Blake had released her arm and took a seat besides her. "So... what happened?" asked Weiss.

"To... put it simply" began Blake as she held her hands together in her lap. "We were escaping and some woman attacked, someone I'd never seen before. But everything about her was familiar... The colours she wore, the weapon she used, the mask" she continued, she hadn't much of a chance to think about it properly but now that she did... Everything about that woman was like some sort of copy of Adam. But she was clearly more skilled, probably older too. "Winter shut one of the doors, separating herself from me and Yang to fight her. We ran as fast as we could to find a way back... When we got to the catwalk we could see her though... She just... The woman, she stabbed her in the chest, the sword it went right..." she halted herself again as she looked up to Weiss.

"But she's okay right?" asked Weiss.

Blake bit the inside of her cheek before speaking, "It's not just that though... She lost her hand too after she broke the keypad on the door. The woman just came running back at her and..." she felt she didn't need to finish her sentence as Weiss could likely put it together. "I'm sorry Weiss, we tried-" her voice was cut off as the woman held a hand out towards her in a halting fashion.

"Don't" she spoke firmly before lowering her hand. "After tonight I'm done with throwing the blame on others" she answered before her gaze turned to the door. "I'm just happy she's alive... That all of you are. With the way things went it could have ended much worse..." she answered. The Faunus considered her words and nodded in agreement. Weiss pondered briefly before turning her attention back to Blake. "...Did Yang find you then? After Beacon?" she asked curiously.

Blake nodded once more, "Yeah. She came to Vale looking for me while I kept avoiding her like an idiot" she answered, her tone still saddened after having discussed Winter.

"Why were you avoiding her?" asked Weiss in return, she seemed to have been taking all of it very well, perhaps a sign that she had matured during her time away from the team.

"To be honest, I was scared of how she'd react. Running away from my problems always seemed easier than facing them, so it's what I did" answered the Faunus.

"Well, that's because it is easier. It's more that it's not the right thing to do" responded Weiss. "What about... Ruby?" she asked, eyes glancing idly down the hall.

"We came here with Winter first, Yang's dad is looking for Ruby. We haven't heard anything though, like with you, any time we tried to call we wouldn't get a response" said Blake as she watched Weiss.

The woman frowned softly, "Sorry about that... I wasn't allowed to contact anyone outside of the mansion... But I needed to know you were okay, both you and Yang. I tried calling Ruby too but... nothing" she answered with some regret.

"And... Winter? Why didn't you call her?" asked Blake.

Weiss turned her attention back to the Faunus, "I was mad at her. Everything my father said to me, it made sense. But when I saw her I remembered, she has always loved and cared for me, she'd never have done something like that knowingly or without cause" she replied, her head dipping slightly as if in shame of having doubted her sister for even a second.

"Well, everything will work out now... right?" asked Blake as she rested a hand upon Weiss' shoulder reassuringly.

"I hope so" said Weiss as her blue eyes looked up to her. "That... other girl though... Why is she here?" she asked, referring to Neo.

Blake moved her hand off of Weiss' shoulder as she responded, "Her name is Neopolitan, Roman said it once before he escaped when we fought that prototype Paladin. I don't trust her at all but Winter sort of hired her. It's a long story but she thinks she turned over a new leaf. Though she has this weird obsession over Yang" she said, expression souring slightly at the last sentence.

"Is... that why she has her name tattooed on her neck...?" asked Weiss.

The Faunus furrowed her brow, "Yeah. She tattooed her own name onto Yang's too" she answered, clearly annoyed at the fact.

"I guess you got obsession right... But that must have been a long time ago right? Because she seems... nice, if not a little blunt. She did hold my own sword to my throat when I refused to leave the mansion..." admitted Weiss.

"She what?" asked Blake, forcing herself to keep her voice lowered as she looked to her with concern.

Weiss held out her hands in front of herself, "Oh, no don't worry. I'm pretty sure it was because she really wanted us to leave, but she can't speak right? So she had to send a clear message... or something..." she quickly added.

"Weiss she held you hostage, I told you she can't be trusted" answered Blake.

"Winter told her to stay by my side and that's what she did. She saved me. Multiple times in fact. If not for her I'd surely be... Not here..." said Weiss, her voice softening towards the end of her words.

Blake was unsure what to think, she still didn't trust Neo all that well but she had no true cause to risk herself for the sake of Weiss. "I still dislike her" replied Blake flatly as her eyes turned forward in a stubborn nature.

"How did you all meet my sister exactly?" continued Weiss with further questions.

"That was Yang. From what she told me she got into a fight and was arrested, or she thought she was. She was taken to Winter who told her one of her objectives was to re-unite teams from Beacon so that they could help keep the peace or something like that. Since then Winter has been helping Yang and eventually we all just started on our way to Atlas to find you" responded Blake.

Weiss thought on her words as she answered, "I never would have expected you all to come crashing into my home with her..." said said.

Blake paused for a moment, something had been pushing at her thoughts and eventually she decided it was better to not leave it for a surprise. She turned to her friend as she spoke. "Weiss, there's... something else I need to tell you" she began as the shorter woman raised a brow at her. "You see... After me and Yang were reunited... We started..." she said, once again finding it difficult to voice her words as Weiss narrowed her eyes slightly in suspicion. "We're... together. As in... together together..." confirmed Blake as she glanced away awkwardly.

Weiss raised both her brows in surprise as she took the words in. "Like... dating?" she asked in confusion.

"Like... couple..." corrected Blake, keeping her eyes away from her.

The shorter woman took in a breath as she looked around, "Well..." she said, breathing out. "How-... How long has this being happening now?" she asked.

Blake's voice had lowered into a mumble by this point. "A while" she replied.

"Have you become... intimate...?" asked Weiss again.

The Faunus looked to her with a shocked expression, "Uhm..." she began. "Sort... of? We haven't- Why are you making me talk about this?" she asked.

"I just want to know if I need to sleep in another room if we stay somewhere" said Weiss. Blake didn't offer her a response as she continued to glance awkwardly about. The heiress sighed softly to herself before smiling gently. "Really though? I'd never have expected it. You're very quiet and isolated, Yang is really loud and popular. But if you're worrying for my blessing or consent to allow this in the team or some such, I've no issue with it" she answered.

To this Blake smiled in response, it wasn't what she was looking for but it certainly helped up her spirits knowing that Weiss was fine with her relationship. "Thanks Weiss" she answered.

"Restrain her!" yelled a voice from the room as the sound of something metallic clashed against what was likely the ground. The sudden sound caused both Blake and Weiss to stand up from their chairs and look to the door. Weiss made to take a step forward but was once more halted by Blake's hand. "Keep her still!" yelled the voice again as another clang of some objects falling over was heard.

"What's going on in there!?" asked Weiss, her expression full of worry.

"It's too early for Winter and Yang to be up..." answered Blake, eyes narrowing at the door. The sounds soon stopped as all returned to silence and a doctor exited the door, closing it behind him. He looked to the two, there was a cut upon his left cheekbone.

"Hey, what happened? We heard noises" asked Weiss as she looked to the man.

The doctor sighed, "The one with the pink hair, she just woke up and tried to... I think she was attempting to escape. She tried to stab me in the face with a spoon-" he paused and touched his cheek, blood dabbed onto his fingers. "It kinda worked I guess" he answered.

"Is she okay?" continued Weiss.

"Yeah, she's sedated now and we strapped her down to the bed. Do either of you two know if she has any history with hospitals? It's not the first time I've seen a freak-out like that" asked the doctor.

Blake shook her head, "No, we don't really know anything about her past" she answered.

The doctor sighed once again, "We'll keep an eye on her. The last thing we need is her stressing herself out and those around her" he answered as he looked to the door. He opened it wide. "You can head in now by the way, we're all done for the time being" he answered.

"Thank you for everything" nodded Weiss as she and Blake entered the room. Inside were three beds. The one furthest on the left held Winter, the one in the middle was Neo (and besides her a couple of objects littering the floor that another member of staff was cleaning up) and upon the right bed was Yang. All three were asleep.

Immediately Weiss made her way over to Winter. She reached to grab her left hand into her own but found that there was no hand to grab. She paused and looked at the bandaged stump in horror. She gripped her arm with her hands as she sat down besides her sister, "Winter..." she said softly with a sorrowful expression.

Blake had made her way over to Yang, standing over her as she examined her form. She thankfully seemed no different than she had before. There was something over on the left side of her however as she leaned across the bed to pick it up. It was a tape measure? Blake glanced around and watched the last member of staff leave the room as her eyes narrowed suspiciously before placing the tape measure down upon the table besides the bed. She moved her hand to Yang's cheek and brushed her fingers across it gently, she still blamed herself for not being able to rescue her in time and she doubted she would lift that blame from herself for some time.

Weiss turned to see Neo in her own bed, leather straps bound her wrists tightly. She turned to lean over towards her curiously. The first thing she noticed was that her breathing seemed... off. It was ragged as if she was struggling to do so. She also noticed that her expression was tense, like she was in pain. She touched her hand over hers as she frowned. Upon the contact she heard Neo's breath hitch before steadying into a normal pattern, her expression also softened. Perhaps she was just having a bad dream?

Regardless here they all were. Two of them conscious while the other three laid broken and asleep. Blake wasn't sure how long they'd be here, they still had one more person to find after all. She turned her head to the door as a man stepped in adjusting his tie with one hand. It was General Ironwood. He looked over the two before he spoke, "It's about time we had a talk" he stated, his eyes peering towards Weiss as she glanced away. This wasn't the first time she'd met the General, he often came to visit her father at the mansion, though rarely did he actually speak to her.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_

 _Just a quick shout-out to Generic Name Guy for his multi-paragraph reviews. You make my heart melt buddy. I'd thank you privately but I have no way to contact you._

 _\- 2101817_


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Miss Schnee, I believe you are the most pressing concern so we will start with you" spoke the General as he approached Weiss, arms folded behind his back. His sharp blue eyes glanced to the window at the far end of the room. For the first time in hours there were two or three rays of light breaking through the thinning rain clouds. The lightning had halted its repeated strikes too. He looked back down to Weiss who moved to stand up to her feet in a polite manner but the General raised a hand to her. "Please, don't stand on my account" he spoke as he gestured for her to sit back down. She nodded hesitantly before doing so. "I would first like to ask you, do you have any intention of returning home? Any desire to do so at all?" he asked with a firm voice. It quickly became apparent to Blake who watched the two that most of Winter's habits and the way she acted may have actually come from the General's influence.

Weiss looked uncomfortable with the topic as she replied, "I..." she began.

The General softened his expression towards her, "You don't need to worry about your father finding out. We're business partners, not friends" he spoke.

The young heiress looked to her sister who slept in the bed besides her. "I... don't want to go back" admitted Weiss.

"Then you won't. At least, I won't force you to. Your father doesn't even know that you're here yet, and he won't unless you want him to. As far as I'm concerned it's a family matter and I'm going to stay out of it as much as I can" answered the General as he turned to Winter, taking a step towards the bed as he looked down to where her left hand used to be. "That brings me to another subject, a rather... sensitive one" he spoke as he looked back to Weiss who returned his gaze.

"Something to do with my sister I presume?" asked Weiss.

Ironwood nodded at her as he looked back to her sister. "Winter is an exceptional soldier, one of my best. To lose her... well, Atlas would surely notice the void left behind. Now, we can fix her and we have the technology. What I propose is an artificial hand. The quality will be the finest Atlas can produce and we'll have every intent to make it as comfortable and efficient as we can manage" he spoke, glancing towards Weiss from the corner of his eye for her reaction.

Weiss narrowed her eyes slightly in thought as she glanced to Winter's arm. Across from the other side of the room Blake's ears had perked up at the hearing of such a proposition, her own eyes trailing down to Yang in thought. Finally the heiress looked back to the General, "You believe that's something she would want?" she asked.

"You tell me" replied the General.

Her eyes glanced down to the floor, once more in thought. "She... She never gives up. She always wants to keep going. Losing a hand... it would force her to stop..." she spoke quietly.

"As I said, we have the means. All we need is consent" said the General. "Of course, it won't just be the hand. She'll need a chip" he added, pointing to the silver plated device above his right brow, "Like mine, to assist in controlling the artificial limb" he finished.

Weiss turned her attention back to the man as she raised a brow, "You... have one too?" she asked.

To this the General held out his right arm towards her and slowly removed the glove upon his hand to reveal an artificial one, silver like the chip upon his forehead. "My additions are far more extensive than the one Winter will receive, so you can believe me when I tell you that it works" he replied before pulling the glove back over his hand.

She pondered the thought a final time before placing one of her hands upon Winter's arm. She gave a slight nod of her head. "Then... Yes... I- I think that's what she would want" answered Weiss.

The General watched in silence for a second before speaking. "Thank you Miss Schnee. We'll begin fabricating and preparing the hand shortly. It will take some time though and I would have liked to have asked Winter herself but there's no telling when she'll wake up. At least this way we can have it ready for her when she comes to and if she decides differently... we can just take it away" he answered with a smile.

Weiss returned the expression in kind as she watched the General glance over towards Blake. The Faunus lowered her head slightly but kept her gaze upon him. "Blake Belladonna" said the General, turning to walk around the beds as he approached her. Blake tracked his movements with golden eyes as he came to a halt in front of her. She watched as his stare glanced to Yang in the bed besides her. "I'm sure you just heard most of what I said to Miss Schnee" he began, blue eyes glancing up to the black bow upon Blake's head before looking down towards her face.

"A bit" answered Blake, though she had heard every word.

"Well believe it or not, I would like to extend a similar proposition to you. But there are some inconveniences this time around" spoke the General.

"Inconveniences?" repeated Blake as she looked upon the man with confusion.

The General nodded, "You see... Winter is an essential part of the Atlesian military. Yang Xiao Long is a Huntress in training from Beacon. I hope you understand where I'm going with this?" he asked to which he only received silence in response. He softly sighed, "I'd like to think I'm a charitable person, I really do. But not even I can give a young girl one of the best in prosthetic technology and then send her on her way to never see her again. The cold hard truth is that Winter contributes, Xiao Long does not" he said.

"So there's a catch?" asked Blake.

Once more the General nodded, "Yes. There's a catch" he turned to look out of the window on the furthest side of the room. "The way I see it there are two ways we can offer this procedure to your friend. The first option would be to pay for it, but the top line products of science are hardly cheap. Of course Winter could see to the expenses if she's feeling especially charitable, but that would be all that she owns. Her father has likely already cut off her remaining funds, the same would no doubt go for young Weiss" he said, Weiss kept her attention upon her sister as she didn't hear clearly what the General said.

"And the other option?" asked Blake once more.

The General turned around, "The other option... Would be to contribute. I could see to it that a soldier of Atlas, and one with huntress training especially, would receive such a procedure upon the grounds of keeping them... active in the field. Of course joining the military, especially a foreign one, is not a decision that can be lightly made. She would be bound by strict regulations and be pushed through rigorous training, and even after that she'll have a full-time job. Her days of adventuring of her own choice will be at an end" he answered.

Blake frowned at the thought. It could certainly solve a lot of Yang's problems but in its place it would only create more. That is if they went with the second option, but they couldn't count on Winter's kind heart. This was assuming Yang still even wanted an artificial limb. "I think I know what she'd want but... You want to hear it from her, right?" she asked.

The General nodded, "Yes. With such a large procedure I'd need confirmation before even thinking about starting production on anything. It will also be more difficult for her to adjust to it than with Winter. For Xiao Long who has already adjusted to her disability, re-adjusting to suddenly having weight on that side of her body again and learning to control it... It will come slow to her. Where as Winter who has yet to experience even being without her hand? She'll quickly get the hang of it" he spoke as he gestured a hand back towards Winter behind him. "I'm just letting you know that if she really wants it, it's there. All that's left is a matter of how far she's willing to go" he said.

"Thanks" said Blake as she nodded once towards the General. As he was about to leave her voice spoke out, "I have a question though" she said as he paused, looking over his shoulder towards her. "When Winter recovers what are you going to do with her?" she asked.

The General paused and turned to face her once more, "You're worried we'll take her back into the military and post her some place like Vale again?" he asked. He didn't need a response to see that he was right. Once more he looked over to Winter, "Officially she is still AWOL... When you find out where you're heading next tell me and we'll see what we can do. There might be a need for her elsewhere after all" he answered.

To this Blake smiled gently, "I appreciate it" she answered.

The General chuckled to himself lightly, "Don't mention it" he said before turning around. "I'll be by later to check up on their progress. A speedy recovery to all three" he answered before waving a hand behind his back as he left through the door. Blake looked over Neo's bed towards Weiss who looked back at her.

"He's nice" admitted Blake.

"You'd think the high ranking military officials would be a little more strict" replied Weiss.

Blake looked back down to Yang as she spoke, "I'm not complaining" she said as she watched the blonde sleep.

* * *

The window had darkened as the night rolled over Atlas. The pitter patter of rain was still heard but it was much lighter now than the day before. Finally the storm seemed to be passing away. Blake was sat in her chair, body slumped forward as her head rested atop her arms on Yang's bed, she was fast asleep. Weiss on the other hand was sat leaning back against her own chair, eyes barely open as she watched the clock opposite her in the room. Each tick seemed louder than the last as the minutes went by. She hadn't been able to sleep, even after being offered a different bed in another empty room she had declined. The last thing she wanted right now was to leave her sister's side.

She looked once more over to Yang and Blake. To think that they had entered themselves into a loving relationship. She wasn't sure how far their feelings extended for one another but they had always gotten along back in Beacon. But what an odd couple they seemed to make, they were almost complete opposites in behaviour. Though maybe that only completed them as a whole, one being things that the other wasn't. Even their race was different. She smiled though, if anything she was happy that two of her friends had been able to find comfort in one another, it came to her thoughts that it may get a little awkward at times however. But at least during those times Yang would be awake and well.

Her attention turned to Winter as she lay sleeping, her expression as soft as ever in her slumber. Now and then her eyelids twitched but that was about as much movement that came from her, excluding her breathing. Weiss still despised herself for daring to have believed Winter had anything but the best intentions for her, maybe that was why she felt the need to be by her side constantly now. As a way to atone for such thoughts. Of course she knew that Winter would hand-wave her worries away and claim it was no fault of hers, but still...

She heard something shift against fabric behind her as she turned to look upon the disturbance of the silence. It was Neo, her movements were sluggish but it seemed like she was softly tugging at her restraints, her eyes twitching. Weiss stood to her feet and approached her, it looked although she may be waking up. In response she turned to look at the door, if she was in fact waking up she would no doubt need to call members of staff to check on her or some such.

Neo tugged harshly against her restraints this time, she held her eyes closed shut as she tugged again. Her heart started to beat faster upon realising she was restrained. The last time she had woke up she was surrounded by masked men and strangers, she didn't know where she was or where the others were. That thought alone frightened her. Over her time with the group she had grown used to what she wanted to call her friends, even though she was unlikely to be viewed in the same light. One thing was clear to her however, she had to find Weiss. She thrashed against her bindings once more, and again. Repeatedly she tried to break free from the restraints, the longer she was kept here the more chance there was she would be left behind and lose her friends.

Hands placed firmly against her shoulders, the strangers again? She opened her eyes with a glare to see a familiar face. The girl Winter told her to stand by, Weiss. "Calm down, you're okay" she spoke to her, a look of worry upon her face. What was this unconditional concern she was experiencing? Neo's expression softened as she stared up at Weiss, her thrashing and tugging having stopped as her breathing steadied. Did this mean she was safe? That she hadn't been captured or left behind? "Can you hear me?" asked Weiss after Neo paused for far too long. At her words she nodded slowly as her eyes remained locked upon her. She looked like Winter only... softer, younger. She lacked the sharper features and her scar distinguished her.

Neo's eyes glanced down to her wrists with the leather binding around them, Weiss seemed to follow her gaze and caught on.

"Do they hurt? I can take them off, you just need to promise not to do anything... rash, okay?" spoke Weiss. Neo didn't understand why but her gentle voice seemed to grant her comfort as she nodded once more in response. With that Weiss began to undo the restraints and freed her. Immediately Neo rubbed her wrists with her hands, they were marked red. Weiss looked down upon her once more as she paused to return the stare. "I wanted to thank you by the way, for... saving me. Even though I was stubborn" answered Weiss.

Neo's eyes widened at the words, she was being thanked by someone she barely knew? Someone who didn't want anything from her in return? Truth be told the mere concept seemed a little alien to the girl, she didn't know quite how to respond to it. Slowly she reached out her hand towards Weiss who paused to look upon it before smiling gently and extending her own hand to clasp it in a shake. As usual, Neo's hand felt as delicate as ever. The girl in the bed smiled at the interaction, Weiss' hand in her own felt soft and smooth. After she released her hand she glanced left to see a sleeping Blake and Yang. She was happy to see they were here, despite the fact that she still held a grudge on Blake for reasons clear to her. Looking right she saw Winter and her smile only widened to see her friend was okay. Her eyes caught sight of her hand however as her expression was quickly replaced with worry. She attempted to sit up in her bed but Weiss kept her shoulders pinned down.

"Ah, she's... going to be okay. They're doing their best for her but you need to rest too" said Weiss softly, she had no desire to wake Blake. Neo kept her concerned gaze upon Winter as she frowned before looking back up to Weiss. "They're getting her a new hand" added Weiss. Those words only seemed to confuse Neo slightly. "But... I'm getting tired now, you should try and get some more sleep, it's late" said Weiss as she turned to sit back in her chair. She was halted as something grabbed the fabric of her skirt. She turned to see Neo looking at her, her finger and thumb pinching her clothes. Weiss looked at her with uncertainty before Neo released her and looked up towards the ceiling instead. Weiss only smiled unsure in response before sitting back down in her chair and looking upon Winter.

Behind her Neo turned her attention back to Weiss, her eyes both coloured a deep magenta.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

And of course sleep never came easily to her. A pair of mismatched eyes stared aimlessly up at the ceiling of the room, it was still dark but at least the rain had stopped completely now. Her body still felt weak and it became especially noticeable when she tried to sit up or move. A few members of staff had come in to check on her progress as well as that of Winter and Yang but they never stayed too long, so Neo had been left to her thoughts. The moonlight shined in through the window and lit the room in a dim and pale light. Outside were also the usual light-show that came with being in the city of Atlas. There was so much activity and life through that pane of glass that clashed with the dour atmosphere of the room she found herself in, one of struggle, desperation and recovery. Her gaze lowered briefly before trying her best to sit herself up. It wasn't that she was in pain but simply the fact that her muscles didn't seem to want to put in much effort, but in the end she managed as she leaned her back against the headrest.

Firstly she looked over to Winter, watching her sleep soundly in her bed. Obviously Winter was the person she could consider her closest friend amidst the group she found herself in. Often times when she was rejected by the others Winter would be the one to approach her, to talk to her about her concerns. At first the interaction had bewildered Neo but she had learned to appreciate her caring nature. In fact she had learned to appreciate Winter to the point she was wanting to sleep with her. There was no intimate feeling of love on her own part but she had felt a desire to be wanted, and at the time Winter seemed like a good choice. She was attractive, refined, polite and an all around nice person.

The rejection came as some small surprise to her and where as usually she would have become upset or annoyed, instead she was... indifferent. Sure there was the pang of depression that spiked the heart but it quickly passed with Winter's words. It seemed almost like she had an answer for every problem and while Neo would still desire her she would not pursue that urge out of respect alone. Her eyes steadily shifted to the smaller woman next to Winter, her sister Weiss. Neo's experience with the girl so far had been brief, going from only protecting her at the mansion to waking up to see her this very night. At first she only cared slightly for her as a result of being Winter's sibling and being ordered to protect her.

But waking up like she did to see her there... It set something off in her that she couldn't explain, it was a familiar sensation normally brought on by Yang but this was far less powerful a feeling in comparison to that, but there it still was, faint yet present. Looking upon her now as she slept in her chair her eyes blinked, both switching colour to magenta. She was similar to Winter of course, though she seemed more innocent, vulnerable. She had shown Neo compassion after having barely known who she was, for that she was thankful and would find a way to repay her kindness. One thing had become clear to her though, Neo wanted her. Unlike with Winter she felt she would be able to show some love and care to Weiss but her end-goal would always be the same person. Maybe that was how she could repay her? Her eyes examined the sleeping form of Weiss from her legs to her head. Neo's cheeks reddened softly as her hands gripped at her sheets tightly, a soft grin appearing on her lips at the thought. Yes, she definitely wanted her.

She breathed out a silent sigh as she calmed herself, it was easy enough to do, especially when looking to the next person in the room. Her eyes blinked back to their usual mismatched pair as she looked upon the Faunus, Blake Belladonna. Her smile faded as she stared into the back of her, she was still sleeping with her head resting upon Yang's bed. Neo despised her for what she had. Why should Blake get to have Yang? And why did she get to accomplish that with so little effort? Neo had tried relentlessly to catch the blonde's attention yet all her attempts were for naught as she was brushed aside. But Blake? She merely had to say a few sweet words and suddenly the two were together. She hated the Faunus. She had no right to the happiness she was denied. She became frustrated with her thoughts as she narrowed her eyes at her. It would be easy to fix this entire situation, she would simply need to pick up an object sharp enough to stab her in the throat with. She was asleep and now was the perfect time to do it, after that no one would stand in her way of Yang, she would finally belong to her.

Her expression softened as she frowned. That wasn't the way she could behave any more she realised. The people she was with, they had morals, a belief that they understood right from wrong. With such people her actions would be condemned, especially by Yang. If anything it would damage her chances with her and so for that sake alone she would stay her hand. Winter had asked of her to help Blake should she need it, and as all orders from Winter she would follow it but that didn't mean she had to like the Faunus. She found no redeeming qualities that she could understand in the girl and further more could not fathom what Yang saw in her, they weren't even the same species. Yang was a beautiful golden angel descended from the bright sunny sky and Blake was a deceitful animal that crept in from the shadows in order to steal her light away. The two did not belong together in her mind.

Her gaze set upon the target of her greatest desires, Yang Xiao Long. Immediately she felt her heart skip a beat as her eyes lingered on her brilliant image. Her golden flowing hair that resembled the heat and the light of the sun. Her impeccable features, her soft lips. And when they'd open, her glistening lilac eyes that were sometimes replaced by the cute and violent shade of red. From her position she could not view the blonde's form, much to her annoyance, but she recalled it from every encounter the two had. To her Yang was all that it meant to be perfect. Whenever she thought about her, her mind would go wild with scenarios both loving and lewd. Her cheeks blushed once again. She believed the two would make an ideal couple. Neo would show her love and loyalty upon a level she never before experienced, more than anything Blake could ever offer her.

She frowned again however, for she wasn't sure how much time left she had to make it work with Yang. At that point she would have to leave the others behind too, everyone in fact. They wouldn't accept her afterwards. She was of course referring herself to her ulterior motive for following the group, there was in fact a reason other than Yang. With how they were now it could take weeks to reach that point however, Atlas didn't suit her objective. If she couldn't be with Yang before then, she likely never will. That thought alone stung at her heart as she glanced away from the blonde. Wherever she succeeded or failed in her mission she would have to leave. Perhaps when it reaches that point she ought to just revert back to her usual self, the others will suddenly be at odds with her after all. At least that way she could have Yang, willing or not.

She shook her head to herself as she shut her eyes, she couldn't think like that any more. The things Roman taught her were how to survive, she had that firmly down. But the things the others here were teaching her was how to be a good person, a normal person. She appreciated the help, her own upbringing had been difficult enough for her to the extent she had learnt next to no people-skills. She opened her eyes once more as she looked over to the window, shifting herself in her bed as she made to stand up and out of it. Her bare feet touched down upon the cold floor, at first she stumbled as she held onto her bed for support, keeping her hand on it as she tried to manoeuvre closer towards the window.

The things she was learning here... Maybe they could open up new paths for her to take? She winced as she struggled to reach for the support of Winter's bed. She pushed herself from her own as she stumbled, dropping to her knees harshly as she fell to the floor. Perhaps the way she had been living could be erased and forgotten? She reached her hand up to Winter's bed and used it to pull herself up, knees red and likely to bruise now as she struggled to her feet. With staggering steps she made her way around the bed and closer towards the window, her eyes locked onto the lights from outside. Could it be possible that she could simply drop her ulterior motive and embrace what she was being given a chance at? Pushing herself away from Winter's bed she fell once more to the ground, falling flat this time upon the floor as her chin hit the ground. Her eyes shut tight in pain before opening once again and darting back up to the window. The lights of the city shining through it as she crawled her way closer. If she could really forget about the past and start over, start fresh... Her fingers grasped the shelf of the window as she pulled herself up with effort, her face came into view of the bright lights as they lit up her eyes in their varying hues. She looked out at the city, the moon shining upon it and blending with the multitude of colours. Her eyes were overwhelmed with the sight once more as she thought to herself. Maybe with what she knew now there'd be a chance at a normal life for her...

She could maybe join an academy officially this time without ill intent. She could become a genuine huntress, help those in need, make new friends, live a life where she wasn't forced to steal and hide. This way she could maybe even stay by Yang's side, by Winter's. Maybe Yang could eventually at least look at her like she would her team-mates. Not with disgust or hate, but with a smile. Did all of these thoughts outweigh the importance of her objective? She lowered her eyes as she thought upon it. She felt her legs start to shake from the weight of her own body, she was still too weak to even be out of bed.

"Neo...!" whispered a voice as she heard someone quickly approaching her. She turned with a confused expression to see Weiss, "What are you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed!" continued the woman, doing her best to keep her voice quiet but with some urgency.

Neo pointed a finger at the window as she looked to Weiss and not a second after did her lack of support cause her legs to give in as she fell backwards. With a gasp Weiss caught her before she hit the floor, her arms wrapped around her in support. Neo's eyes widened as she looked up to her, once again this girl was displaying such concern for her. Her first instinct was to wrap her own arms around her in return, holding onto her as tight as her diminished strength would allow her. To this Weiss seemed confused by the sudden embrace as she looked down to her.

"Are you... okay?" asked Weiss, worried that loosening her grasp around the woman would cause her to fall again.

Neo nodded against her, she had to make every move count as she loosened her arms and looked up to her, offering a smile and a soft blush in response. Weiss paused and smiled back at her.

"I'll help you back to your bed" spoke Weiss as she turned herself, keeping one arm holding onto Neo in order to support her as she slowly made her way back to her bed.

Neo kept her eyes on Weiss as they moved, she had to find more subtle ways to hint towards what she wanted but she had learned not to be too forward. She had to be... smooth. An idea sprung to her mind as they neared her bed. Stepping forward she placed one foot in front of her other, intentionally tripping herself forward. Once more Weiss was quick to react, reaching her free hand around to catch Neo. She succeeded but froze in place as she realised that her hand had landed firmly upon the girl's chest. Just as planned Neo thought to herself as her blush deepened.

"I- I'm so sorry!" blushed Weiss as she straightened Neo up again, quickly retracting her hand away from her chest. Now it was time to play the shy damsel part as Neo lowered her head slightly, looking to Weiss through the corner of her eye before, in an embarrassed fashion, glancing away and holding her arms over her own chest. Weiss was at a loss and flustered as she looked back to Neo's bed, further leading her towards it. "I- Uh-" she began as they made it to their destination. Weiss let go of Neo after she had gotten back into bed, she received another shy glance from the girl though she saw there was something else in expression. The heiress gulped and her blush only grew deeper as she hastily replied, "G- Good night!" she said before turning and sitting back down in her chair, back facing Neo.

Neo, now laying once more in her bed, stared at the ceiling with her trademark smirk. This approach seemed far more effective than what she was used to, maybe she was actually going to be able to pull this one off? If only she had started out like this with Yang she thought to herself. Her gaze turned to linger on the back of Weiss, no doubt too embarrassed now to sleep. At least she would be thinking about her, hopefully considering her options too. Would it really happen that fast though? Her eyes moved past her and towards the distant window again. The more she thought about her own options the more she found herself thinking about that fresh start. Perhaps she could confide in Winter about the possible futures ahead of her? It may be difficult to get that conversation across...

Her eyes were finally starting to feel heavy again and the prospect of sleep came to her. She was quite sure she was going to have more than a few vivid dreams about a certain heiress, which would be an interesting change... They were normally about Yang. Maybe if she recovered faster than the others she could explore the city with Weiss, maybe even try and go on a date with her. She couldn't remember the last time she simply... had fun. And not just her own definition of fun, but actually just walking and talking with someone, to shop with them, go see a movie maybe. Normal things. Her smirk grew larger as she excited herself about such ideas. She had to at least try, right?


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

A day had now passed since the events that took place at the mansion. During that time regular check-ups had been made on the three that were recovering. Neo had practically made a full one and could now be found often sitting up in bed or idly wandering around the room. Both Winter and Yang remained asleep however, according to the staff it wouldn't be long until they both woke up. Blake's eyes glanced away from Yang to see Neo, she was sat at the edge of her bed facing Weiss who appeared to be talking to her, or at least having as much of a conversation as you could with Neo. For some reason the two of them seemed to have become fast friends, a notion that confused Blake. It was likely a result of the fact that Weiss didn't fully understand what Neo was capable of. As a result she made it a point to tell Weiss some time in the near future and with any luck she would keep her distance from her.

The light from the sun shined in through the window and for the first time since they arrived they could see Atlas in the day, where as before they had arrived at night and the morning after was clouded and dulled by the storm. From what little she could see from her position she could tell that the price on sunglasses must be expensive. All the buildings were stark white, added with the snow and the shining sun she found it amazing that everybody wasn't crashing their cars in the street or walking around covering their eyes from the brightness. It was different from Vale in every way.

Her golden eyes turned back to Yang and were met with lilac. Blake paused in realization, she was awake? Her soft expression was looking up to her, eyes half-closed. "You're pretty cute from this angle..." muttered Yang in a gentle voice. At first the Faunus wasn't sure how to respond, her expression simply lost. "Cat got your-... No, wait, I used that one before..." muttered Yang once more. Her voice was quiet enough that neither Weiss nor Neo could hear her.

Blake's expression shifted into that of sorrow as tears began to form in her eyes. Her voice was cracked as she whispered, "I- I'm sorry. I tried to stop it... I tried..." she spoke. Yang frowned at the Faunus as she slowly reached her hand up towards her face, calloused fingers brushing across her cheek as she shushed her. "Y- You keep getting hurt because of me..." continued Blake as she held her hand over Yang's.

"Shut up Blakey... Neither of us saw it coming, there was nothing we could do... And didn't we have a talk about blame?" asked Yang to which Blake nodded. "You know all things considered I... I feel really good..." she added.

Blake reactively smiled as she whispered again, "That's because you're on drugs" she answered in a more light-hearted tone though her depression could still be heard in her voice.

"Oh... Guess that's why I don't feel that much pain..." replied Yang. Her eyes widened slightly after a brief pause, "What about Weiss? And-..." she cut herself off as memories of Winter and her mother, Raven, returned to her. At first she was confused to see Blake smiled down at her widely.

"They're both okay. They're here" she answered.

"Wait... Winter isn't...?" began Yang as Blake shook her head. She moved aside slightly to grant the blonde vision across the room. She strained her eyes to see the back of Neo, Weiss and behind them a sleeping Winter. Weiss caught her glance and instantly rose to her feet in surprise, prompting Neo to look back at the two. Yang offered a weak smile to the both of them. Neo looked back to Weiss who briskly started making her way over to the blonde, which in turn caused the shorter woman to follow her.

"Yang!" exclaimed Weiss with excitement as she stood besides Blake, Neo placed a hand upon the shoulder of the heiress as she peered over her towards Yang.

Yang winked at Weiss, "Ice Queen" she said quietly before turning her eyes to Neo, "Shortcake". The nickname alone seemed to fluster Neo as her face disappeared further behind Weiss.

"How are you feeling? Does it hurt? Are you hungry?" asked Weiss concerned. Blake had turned her face away from the group to wipe away what was left of her tears.

The blonde couldn't help but give out a soft chuckle at the way Weiss was acting before answering her questions one by one. "I feel pretty good. A little and yes, very" she answered before asking her own question, "Where are we by the way?" she said, lilac eyes glancing around at her surroundings.

"A private hospital primarily used for the Atlesian military" answered Weiss.

"Wait... how did we get here? The last thing I remember was..." asked Yang once more.

Blake looked to the blonde, "It was the military and General Ironwood, they heard what was happening at the mansion..." she answered.

"The General...?" said Yang. She recalled the time she met General Ironwood back in Vale after she had injured Mercury. Back then he had sympathized with her, saying that sometimes you can see things on the field of battle that aren't there, that you can become confused and disorientated. At the time she swore by what she saw but now she wasn't so sure. Perhaps she really was just seeing illusions.

"Yes, the General" confirmed Weiss. "Now, I'm going to go find a member of staff and also something for you to eat and drink. Do you need anything else?" she asked.

Yang seemed to ponder her answer before pointing a finger towards the heiress. "Actually yeah, take Neo with you" she answered. For a moment Weiss seemed confused before glancing towards Blake.

"Ah. I see" she answered knowingly before glancing over her shoulder towards Neo. "Are you okay to walk?" she asked. Neo nodded in response to her. "In that case I will return shortly" she finished as she smiled at the two before turning to make for the door of the room, Neo kept her eyes on Yang for an extended moment while she followed after Weiss. After the door closed behind them Yang's eyes turned to Blake's.

"Does she know about...?" started Yang as she raised a brow up at Blake.

The Faunus gave a nod, "She does. I told her earlier and she seems to be completely fine with it" she answered.

Yang gave out a soft sigh, "Well that makes things simpler" she said.

"So what did you want? You sent Neo with her for privacy right?" asked Blake.

A smirk appeared on the blonde's lips as her eyes locked onto Blake's golden gaze. "Wanted to tell you something, come closer" she spoke.

Blake's cheeks were coloured a light pink as she glanced around. She turned back to Yang and leaned her face down towards hers, stopping her dark hair from falling over her face with her hand. "What is it?" she whispered, close enough to feel Yang's gentle breaths against her skin.

Yang's voice was as soft as ever as she spoke, her usual up-beat tone being replaced with a more serious one. "So... I've been in a few relationships in the past and... Well, they don't really last long. Either it never works out or I just get tired of it and move on..." she began, her hand steadily moving up to hold the back of Blake's neck as the Faunus stared into her eyes. "And I never really considered myself much of a romantic, I always thought I had other things that needed my time more..." her eyes broke from Blake's as they turned aside. "With you though... it's different... I'm not tired of it, I don't feel like I'm wasting my time... I mean you're really smart, you're cute, your new pants have been awesome to look at since the day I found you again" she grinned as her voice lightened slightly as her eyes turned back to the Faunus that blushed.

"They're comfy" retorted Blake.

"They look comfy" smirked Yang before her voice returned to her serious tone. "But I guess what I'm really trying to say is... I..." her words stuck in her throat as Blake watched her, eyes widening slightly at the realization of what was happening.

"I love you-" spoke the two at the same time, their words cutting themselves short. Blake placed a hand over her mouth as she spoke, "I'm sorry- You were trying to confess and I just blurted it out over yours" she said in urgent apology.

"Ah- No- I should have stopped when it looked like you were about to say something" replied Yang awkwardly.

"But it was your moment-" began Blake before being cut off.

"Can we just kiss?" interrupted Yang.

Blake paused as her eyes glanced away in embarrassment. "I guess" she said before golden eyes returned to meet lilac. Yang smiled up at her as she drew her face closer. Their lips pressed together softly as Blake reached up with her hands, placing them gently upon Yang's cheeks. She felt the blonde's hand on the back of her neck apply pressure as their lips parted into a more passionate kiss. She could feel Yang's tongue press against her own as she released a soft moan of content. Her own breathing became heavier as she half-pulled herself onto the bed. She thought she heard Yang moan for a moment, but instead it became clear to her as a yelp of discomfort instead. She broke the kiss and looked down to her. "What's wrong?" asked the Faunus as Yang winced in pain.

"You bumped into me" answered Yang as she glanced down with her eyes. Blake followed her gaze and found that her knee had bumped into Yang's waist as she attempted to climb onto the bed.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" apologized Blake hastily as she pushed herself off the bed. Whenever they seemed to have an intimate moment like this something would go wrong. She supposed it couldn't all be perfect.

"Don't worry about it" chuckled Yang softly. "But for real though... I love you Blake" she confessed with bright eyes.

The Faunus shyly looked back at her, she couldn't help but smile herself. It was everything she wanted after all, ever since seeing her again back in Vale. "I love you too Yang" she admitted.

Yang narrowed her eyes at the Faunus as a thought struck her. "By the way... Next time we get to share a bed together... Wanna like... Try something new?" she asked, her own cheeks gaining a rare blush.

Blake widened her eyes at the question, "What...? You mean...?" she asked in a flustered manner.

"Hey it's... It's about time we... Right? I mean, unless you don't want to or something" responded Yang awkwardly.

"It's not that I don't want to, I wouldn't mind- I don't mean that in a dismissive way or anything, I'm just trying to say... Maybe...? Yes? Okay?" replied Blake as she scratched the back of her head nervously.

Yang paused and grinned at her, "Did we really just schedule that?" she asked.

"You're annoying" sighed Blake as she smiled at the blonde.

Weiss continued on down the hallway with Neo following behind. She had already found a member of staff and informed them of Yang. Now she simply wandered around looking for something to eat or drink. She could ask directions sure, but that would make her seem lost. She really wasn't lost. Her eyes glanced back to Neo before looking forward again. She totally wasn't lost.

Neo kept her eyes glued to the back of Weiss' head as she walked after her in a casual stride, now and then her attention would be caught by doctors and nurses passing by, or windows against the wall. But mostly her sights would return to the heiress as they resumed their exploration of the hospital. "I feel overdressed" commented Weiss quietly to herself as she glanced around another corner before making her way down it. Neo tilted her head at the girl as she followed. Weiss halted outside of a closed door and Neo saw this as a chance. She kept walking and idly bumped into the back of Weiss, making sure to press her body against her for a second or two before stepping back. Weiss glanced back to her with a soft blush, "Sorry, did I stop too suddenly?" she asked, to which Neo of course nodded with a polite smile.

The smaller girl looked to the door they were stood outside of, it seemed like a janitorial closet. She looked at the door puzzled before turning her attention back to Weiss.

The (slightly) taller woman looked back to her, "Wait here, I can't deal with feeling out of place any longer. It's unacceptable" she answered before moving towards the closet and opening the door. It was dark inside but the heiress quickly found the light switch and entered the room. Neo had half a mind to follow after her, maybe try and initiate an early and intimate moment. But she decided against it with her better judgement as she casually folded her arms behind her back and waited.

After a short while Weiss re-appeared, but her clothing looked slightly different. Instead of the long flowing skirt she now had a much shorter one that was similar in design to the, quoted, combat skirt she wore back in Beacon, only it was coloured in the same theme as her previous longer skirt with a light fading blue. She also had a white band of fabric tied around her waist. Even her shoes had changed from stilettos into platforms, keeping the same design. With all of this change Neo had to wonder what happened to her clothes, did they transform? Did she keep spares in janitorial closets across Atlas? Was it the work of an enemy semblance? She believed she would never truly find the answers for the questions she couldn't ask.

Her eyes stared down at Weiss' pale legs long enough for the heiress to blush once more before turning and continuing down the hallway, pretending she hadn't seen Neo blatantly watching her. "Let's keep moving, it's not far now" she spoke, still feigning the fact she knew where she was going. Neo followed closely behind, eyes mostly maintaining locked to her thin, smooth legs. With her eyes this low on her form she noticed something, a pocket just above her skirt? It was hard to spot but there was something hanging out from it. She reached forward and pinched the blue fabric and stood to a halt. Weiss kept walking as her longer skirt was pulled further and further out from her pocket. Neo watched idly as finally Weiss turned around to question why she had stopped. She then saw her long blue skirt, going from her pocket to Neo's hand. "D- Don't just grab people's things!" yelled Weiss defensively as she snatched the skirt back, rolling it up and placing it in her pocket.

A good time to test just how much Weiss cared thought Neo to herself as she glanced asides dejectedly.

Weiss held both her hands out towards her as she approached with a worried expression, "Ah- I didn't mean to yell" she apologized. Everything was working so well for Neo as she looked back to the heiress and nodded, offering her a smile in her own apology. Weiss softly smiled back, "Let's keep going" she said as she turned to walk. She was halted as something clutched her hand however, glancing back with yet a deeper blush to see Neo was holding her hand. She wasn't sure how to respond, in fact she believed it best that she shouldn't and turned to keep walking down the hall now with Neo in hand. She glanced to Neo who now walked besides her and noticed just how... pretty she was. A worrying expression came over Weiss as she stared her eyes forward with one of the most awkward expressions she had managed that day. _I'm not gay, I'm not gay, I'm not gay_ repeated Weiss in her thoughts, her movements were stiff and she received curious glances from passing people. What a troublesome girl this Neo was.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

"The General made you an offer while you were asleep" said Blake, eyes peering down upon Yang. "Winter too" she added as she glanced over her shoulder, Winter was still sleeping.

The curiosity of Yang had been caught as she stared up at Blake with a questioning expression, "Offer?" she asked.

Blake nodded once, "Remember when... you were talking about an artificial arm...?" she asked in return.

"Wait... seriously?" responded Yang with an uncertain look upon her face, catching on to as what Blake was likely about to say.

"Kind of... There's a catch, or two. It's not free. If you want it you either need to pay for it or... join the Atlesian Military..." answered Blake as she frowned at the thought.

Yang raised a brow at the proposal, "What like... be a soldier?" she asked. Blake nodded in response to her. The blonde pondered on the options for a second, "How much does it cost?" she asked.

"More than you can afford" answered Blake. "The General suggested Winter maybe paying for it but... Yang, that's a lot of money" she added.

"Well I'm not joining the military" said Yang firmly, hearing such words came as a relief to Blake. "So either I find a way to pay for it or I just keep going like I am. Being free to do what I want is worth more to me than a metal arm" she answered. Blake smiled at the blonde. "What?" asked Yang curiously.

The Faunus shook her head, "Nothing" she replied with her smirk.

Yang's lilac eyes peered over to Winter across the room, "There's something else I've been wanting to tell you Blake. It's about the... woman, the one who..." she sighed to herself at the thought.

"What about her?" asked Blake as her expression turned into that of a more serious one.

"Her name is Raven, she's my..." began Yang, though it was all she needed to say.

Blake's golden eyes glanced over to Winter before returning to Yang, "Really? That was her...? What was she doing there?" she asked in response.

Yang shrugged her shoulders lightly, "I dunno. I spent so long looking for her... I guess I never expected her to be the one to find me. But it's happened before. Just this time instead of talking to her I just wanted to... Beat her to a pulp..." answered Yang, eyes narrowing in anger.

"If you want answers, maybe the General could help? If Weiss' dad knows who she is maybe the General can get him to make her appear...?" asked Blake.

"It's a thought but... After what she did to Winter, I don't think I could say anything to her. I'll probably just get mad, or upset. It's weird, after all this time searching I barely want anything to do with her now. She had her reasons and they're probably not even good ones" said Yang as she looked back up to Blake.

The Faunus wasn't sure how to react to such a personal situation so instead of giving an answer she decided she would give her support instead. "Whatever you choose to do I'll be by your side. If you want to confront her, I'll go with you. If you don't, that's fine too" she answered.

Yang's lilac gaze watched Blake closely, after a pause she closed her eyes and smiled. "Look at you being the best girlfriend around" she smiled softly.

"You know it's really embarrassing when you actually call me that" answered Blake as she smiled back.

Yang opened her eyes to look upon the Faunus, "So what would you rather me call you? My love? My babe? … My kitty?" she answered with a wiggle of her brow.

Blake chuckled softly, "If I'm a kitty you're a dumb bimbo" she answered.

"Hey, I'm not dumb, I just know a lot of useless things. I'm totally blonde though, natural blonde I'll add" she replied with a wink. Her thoughts quick to shift away from the unsavoury topic of her biological mother.

"It shows" smirked Blake in response. She glanced over her shoulder towards the door. "Weiss has been gone a while, do you think she got lost?" she asked.

"I hope she did because the alternatives aren't great, forget who she's with...? Maybe you should uh... Go find her... Just to be on the safe side..." answered Yang as her expression faltered slightly in concern for her friend. They were in a hospital though, surely Neo wouldn't attempt anything in a place like this?

* * *

Weiss was panting heavily, her face red and slick with sweat. Her expression was bordering that of pain as her silver-white hair bounced up and down repeatedly to the motion. "Wh- Why would you-... D- do this to me?" she asked in a struggled tone. Like her Neo was in a similar state, her fringe bobbing up and down with each movement, her eyes locked firmly ahead, face red and sweating with a wide smirk as she continued to dance on the arcade machine.

The two had found the entertainment room of the hospital and in it was an assortment of machines, board games and tables, Neo herself particularly liked the dance machine. She had picked the longest track on the list, eleven minutes in total. Her score was through the roof while Weiss struggled to keep up on the machine besides her, missing steps as the directions came up on the screen. How had she even been convinced that this was a good idea? She understood why Neo might want to do it, she wanted to test just how far she could push herself now that she was awake and moving. But why did Weiss think it was a good idea to let her drag her onto it too?

The song finally ended as Weiss stumbled. Neo placed her hands upon her hips, panting silently as she looked to her score on the screen with bright eyes. She then looked to the scoreboard and saw a list of three-letter names. Typing in her own as NEO she found that she now held the record by quite the margin. Weiss reached a slightly shaking hand towards the keypad of her own machine as she tried to enter in her full name, she only ended up with WEI before it auto-accepted and entered her into the scoreboard. "B- But that's not my name- Wait... why aren't I showing up on it?" asked Weiss as she looked at the scoreboard. Neo leaned over towards her machine, still panting as she started to scroll down through the scores. She got to the hundredth name and still WEI didn't show up. Her score had been so bad she didn't even make it into the top one hundred.

Neo looked to Weiss with a judging stare.

"It's because I'm in heels-!" Weiss stopped herself as she glanced down to Neo's boots, she was also in heels. "Because..." paused Weiss as she tried to come up with an excuse. She straightened her posture and tilted her chin upwards, "It's because I wasn't feeling very competitive" she nodded. "If there was something to win besides bragging rights you would have found yourself in second place" she added with a smug smile.

Neo tilted her head at Weiss, maybe the heiress would prefer a less physical game? She glanced around the room before spotting a pinball machine. Her smirk widened as she pointed towards it. Weiss followed her gesture as her ice blue eyes looked to the device.

"Pinball?" she asked with uncertainty. Truth be told she'd never played, but despite that she couldn't let Neo have the last victory. For some reason however she could not shake the thought that she was forgetting something important. "Very well, but you will go first" answered Weiss, if only so she could learn Neo's technique. The smaller woman nodded happily before making her way over towards the pinball machine, Weiss stumbled after her, legs still wobbly from the eleven minutes of pain she just endured.

The pinball machine was simple and plain as Neo stood in front of it. Like most machines in this room she didn't need to pay to activate it. The lights started flashing as she gripped the sides of the machine, thumbs over the only two buttons. She pressed her hips up against it as the game activated. Weiss watched her thumbs click down and activate the flippers that would send the ball up inside the machine, hitting various lights and points that seemed to accumulate score. She also watched Neo's form, oddly enough at times she would seemingly thrust her hips against the machine, other times she would almost try to tilt it to one side roughly. Her technique could be called aggressive but it seemed to be working as she manipulated the ball inside slightly with each bump to the machine.

Weiss continued to watch as the scores grew higher and the game came to a close. Seeming satisfied with the results Neo took a step back from the machine and gestured for Weiss to have a go. The heiress only momentarily looked worried but quick enough did her determined expression appear upon her face. She stepped in front of the machine and attempted to mimic the stance Neo had taken. She pulled back the spring device to send the ball into play. Her eyes narrowed as they tracked the silver orb, descending down the board. When it came close enough she pressed her thumb down on the button. It was too soon as the ball rolled past the triggered flipper. Her eyes widened in surprise, such reflexes were needed for a mundane game like this? Her ice blue gaze tracked up to the score, it was pathetic. She frowned to herself at the fact she had failed so spectacularly.

Hands were placed over hers and pressed them firmly against the machine. Weiss blushed as she felt Neo also press her body against her own, intentions becoming clear. Neo was aiming to hold her hand through the game and teach her how to play. Weiss had half a mind to tell her she didn't need help, that her pride demanded as much, but the way Neo was so willing to help her... Her eyes glanced down to see Neo pull back the spring-loaded device to send the ball back into play. When it came down towards one of the flippers Neo pressed her hand down against Weiss', pushing the button and sending the ball back up into the court. The simple fact she struck it brought a grin to Weiss' face.

But nothing could prepare her for Neo's legendary pinball techniques, ones that she had so readily forgotten. As the ball was reaching its apex and narrowly about to fall short of a point Weiss felt Neo thrust her hips against her, and as a result against the machine. The ball hit its mark before turning back towards the flippers but Weiss' face was more red than she thought possible as she stared at the ball descending. Again Neo's hand pressed against hers as the ball was launched back up, following soon after was enough thrust of the hips. She could feel Neo's entire form pressed up against her back, certain curves more noticeable than others. Weiss dared not ask Neo to stop for some reason unknown to herself, perhaps she was too shy to admit she was embarrassed by something so simple as contact. Or maybe she felt that turning away the girl's help would only offend her. Either way she had to wait until the game ended.

Only... for the time being it didn't seem like it ever would. Every time the ball came back down Neo would knock it straight back up. It was starting to appear like the only way the game would end would be if Neo let it end. Behind her the girl's eyes were both coloured a shade of magenta, a soft blush on her own pale complexion. She was enjoying every second of the moment. She liked that Weiss was embarrassed, she liked the feel of her hands over hers, she liked thrusting her hips against her soft rear. She knew she was maybe getting ahead of herself but she didn't want it to stop just yet as her eyes looked to Weiss' neck, the temptation to plant a kiss against it was strong. She bit her lip before turning her eyes back to the machine in front of her, she had beaten her previous score already and decided she would grant the heiress some respite.

Weiss watched as the ball started to descend once more, she herself was frozen and hadn't been playing the game at all, it was just Neo controlling her. Her eyes focused on the silver orb that was drawing right towards the middle of the flippers, the dead-zone where neither would be able to reach it. Her eyes widened as it drew closer, was Neo not going to do anything about it? "Th- The ball!" exclaimed Weiss as it moved between the flippers, neither one being pressed. The game had ended and she felt Neo slowly push herself against her one final time before moving away, hands sliding gently off of her own. Ice blue eyes glanced up at the score, she couldn't be any more unsure about how she felt towards the whole thing but if one thing was for certain... She had beaten Neo's score. "I... won?" she asked to herself. "I- I mean of course I won" she answered, turning around to face Neo. She was hoping her blush had dissipated by now but still it remained, not that she was able to tell. "I told you didn't I? When I get serious I get results" she answered, tilting her chin up once more in a snobby manner.

Neo smirked at the girl and nodded towards her. She didn't care about the score, she already had her fun. Her once more mismatched eyes glanced around the room for further activities the two could partake in, and that Neo could use for her own agenda. Being a hospital though she found the variety lacking. She would surely have to try and take Weiss to a proper arcade in the future, preferably one with a motorcycle game so that she could straddle her on top of it in an excuse to help teach her again. Seeing a lack of such fun games though she settled her eyes on a simple pool table. Maybe she could teach Weiss how to properly lean over one to take a shot, and in the process lay on top of her. She grinned at the thought and pointed her finger towards the table, glancing back at Weiss.

The heiress was still blushing as she looked over to it, brushing a hand through her fringe. "Pool...? I don't know the rules" she answered as she followed Neo over towards the table. The silent girl halted as quickly she began to think on how to explain the rules to Weiss.

"Oh, here you are" came a voice that never failed to annoy Neo. Blake had opened the door to the entertainment room and spotted them both. "Weiss, are you okay? You look... exhausted..." asked Blake, eyes narrowing at the fact that the heiress was not only a bright shade of red but also had a sleek shine of sweat on her face from the dance machine earlier.

"Ah-!" startled Weiss as she turned to look at the Faunus, holding her hands to her chest in surprise. "Y- Yes, I'm fine. Why?" she asked in return as Neo silently looked over to Blake.

"Uh... Nothing, it's just you've been gone a while now..." answered Blake. It then hit Weiss, she was meant to have looked for something Yang could eat and drink. "Did you get lost or something?" asked Blake once more.

Weiss weighed the options in her head. Which sounded more pathetic? Getting lost or forgetting about her friend in need? She made the judgement in her mind and nodded to Blake, "I... got lost and thought that maybe... I could rest here for a bit...?" replied Weiss, unsure of her own excuse.

Blake's golden gaze set upon Neo suspiciously. The short woman was leaning on a pool cue and smiling back at her innocently. "Okay then... Do you want me to help you get back? I remember the way" offered Blake.

"Oh, no, that's fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine" replied Weiss. It dawned on her that she had no idea why she refused Blake's help, because she sure as hell didn't know the way back.

"Well... Alright. I'll pick something up for Yang so don't worry about it" said Blake as she turned to leave.

"S- See you later!" waved Weiss with a smile. She glanced back to Neo, now holding the pool cue behind her neck with both hands as she raised a brow at Weiss.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

She felt like she had spent more than one life-time in beds by this point as she stared blankly towards the ceiling with dulled lilac eyes. Her body still ached from the injuries she had sustained and she frowned at the thought of how long she was going to spend here. Her aura would help speed her recovery of course but she was still looking at a while. Blake hadn't returned yet and so she found she had nobody to talk to. Or at least, nobody who could talk back as she peered over towards Winter in one of the other beds. She decided to humour herself however, speaking out. "Hey, Winter, you awake?" she asked. A pause in silence as she received no response.

Sighing to herself she tried to roll over onto her side, the pain she felt quickly changed her mind as she remained flat on her back instead. She wondered if she should tell her when she wakes up that her mother had almost killed her. Just then her scroll started to vibrate, she wasn't sure where it was and so her eyes glanced around from corner to corner. Eventually spotting it upon the chair besides the bed. She groaned as she reached an arm out towards it, fingers just barely touching the side of the device before painfully pulling it towards her. When in closer reach she was able to grab it properly and laid back comfortably in her bed as she looked to the screen. The caller was her father, she wasn't sure why she was surprised.

Answering the scroll she placed it up against her ear, "Hey dad" she greeted, doing her best to keep her voice from sounding like she was in discomfort.

"Hey Buttercup, guess who just got out of prison!" replied Taiyang's voice.

"That's not the best thing to say in public you know" answered Yang with a smirk.

"Yeah... Realising that now..." his voice quietened, "People are giving me looks..." he whispered.

Yang chuckled softly at the image in her head, "So how was it?" she asked.

The sound of wind could be heard through the scroll before her father replied, "Not too bad at all. This guy called Junior was a huge help though, said he'd give me a years membership at his club once he gets out too. Nice person, we really got along" he answered. "What about you? Everything going okay up in Atlas?" asked Taiyang.

Yang was happy to hear that Junior kept to his word but she was also worried that the two had apparently become friends. "Yeah, everything is going just as planned I guess. We found my buddy Weiss" she answered in return.

"The Schnee girl? Great news, I'm about to start tracking Ruby down myself. I tried to contact Qrow but he's not picking up. What's that beeping by the way?" asked Taiyang.

Yang's eyes darted to the heart monitor next to her. "Uhh... This really big truck is reversing. Any idea where you're starting by the way? Looking for Ruby that is" she replied.

Her ruse appeared to pay off. "You're outside? Must be cold up there. As for searching, no idea. I'm heading back to Patch first to talk to some guys who work at the airport, thinking that maybe they remember where Ruby was heading. It's a long shot but it's all I have so far" answered Taiyang.

"Yeah, pretty cold. Have you been here before? The city is huge. Like, twice the size of Vale" replied Yang.

"Atlas? I think I went on a mission or two with the old team. From what I remember that place doesn't sleep... You are sleeping right?" asked her father with slight concern in his voice.

"I'm sleeping, I'm eating, I'm drinking" answered Yang, anticipating his questions to follow.

A pause came from the scroll, "You sound a little under the weather, you sure everything is okay? And is that truck really still reversing?" asked Taiyang once more.

Yang sighed to herself, she couldn't keep lying to him. He had a right to know. "Dad... I'm fine, recovering, but fine. I've got my friends with me-" she began.

"Wait, what happened?" asked her father, the concern growing.

"We got into a fight with another Paladin, it did a number on me but like I said, I'm recovering" replied Yang.

Another pause came from the scroll, as if Taiyang was fighting the urge to say that he was coming to Atlas to check on her personally. "You said you've got your friends?" he asked, as if needing to be reassured.

"Yes Dad, they're all here. I'm in a hospital, even the General checked up on me. I'm safe" sighed Yang as she did her best to curb her father's worries.

"Right, okay then. Okay. Yeah, no- That's good" replied Taiyang, he sounded as if he took a deep breath.

Yang's lilac eyes glanced around her room as a sour expression made itself apparent upon her features. "There is something else though..." she spoke.

"What is it?" asked Taiyang.

"I saw m-... I saw Raven" she answered.

Another long pause. "Say again?" asked Taiyang in disbelief.

"I. Saw. Raven" answered Yang clearly.

It was as if Taiyang was at a loss for words as silence came through the scroll again, "What? Like... How-... Did she say anything? Do anything?" he answered, his voice lowering.

"She didn't say anything... She stabbed my friend and cut off her hand so I got mad at her and tried to attack" answered Yang bluntly.

"Wh-..." Taiyang's voice paused again, "Listen, Yang. You need to stay away from her. She's not... She's not safe" he urged.

"You don't need to tell me twice, frankly I don't care any more but if she does show up I'm going to punch her in the face" answered Yang, her voice growing more annoyed.

"No. You see her, you run. I don't know if her head is messed up enough to attack her own daughter but I'd rather not have you take that risk. Don't try to fight her, she's cut down stronger huntresses" replied her father.

Yang narrowed her eyes as she spoke, "Fine" she sighed, not having any desire to argue.

"Thanks Buttercup" answered Taiyang, relieved that his words got through to her.

"Anyway, I should probably go now. Let you get to work" spoke Yang.

"Okay, you get well soon you hear? And remember, daddy loves you" said Taiyang.

Yang smirked softly, "Hard to forget. Stay safe dad" she spoke.

"You too Buttercup" replied her father before the call ended.

Yang looked to the scroll in her hand before finally resting it down upon the bedside table. Her eyes returned to the ceiling before darting towards the door as it opened, the familiar face of Blake entering with a plate of toast and a cup of juice in both hands.

* * *

Weiss and Neo turned away from the member of staff who had given them directions as they continued down a hall. "How was I supposed to know we managed to go down a floor? I don't remember seeing any stairs" grumbled Weiss as she led the shorter woman. Her day with Neo had been... unique to say the least. It was certainly one of the more embarrassing days she had lived so far. They made their way to a stairwell that extended up to the next floor as Weiss took the lead, ascending the steps and unaware that Neo had paused before following in order to try and catch a glimpse up her skirt, wherever she was successful or not was known only to her.

The stairwell came to a halt half-way up before turning around to continue its way to the next floor. Weiss paused to glance outside the window half-way, a tall thin one that showed just how high they were in one of the many spires of the city. She smiled to herself before moving to carry on but she was halted as she glanced back to raise a brow at Neo who had caught her arm.

"What's wrong?" asked Weiss as she turned to face her. Neo cautiously glanced around herself to make sure that nobody was present before looking upon the heiress. She pointed a finger at Weiss. "Me?" she asked, to which Neo nodded. "What about me?" asked Weiss once more. Neo this time shook her head before pointing at Weiss with her finger again and then pointing to the side of her head.

And so the game of charades had begun.

"Uh..." paused Weiss. "Not me... I?" she asked, Neo nodded before pointing to the side of her own head once more. "I... Head- No... Mind...?" said Weiss with an unsure expression. Neo tilted her head as if considering the wording before shaking it. "Think?" asked Weiss. Neo nodded firmly before pointing to herself. "I think you?" asked the heiress. "Oh-! What do I think of-" she paused as the realisation struck her, cheeks once more for about the fiftieth time that day turning a shade of pink.

Neo nodded twice again as she smiled at Weiss, her own blush appearing. She was asking Weiss what she thought of her.

"W- Well... You're nice and... Talented" nodded Weiss, trying to avoid any direct compliments of attraction. She looked to Neo to gauge her reaction, the girl seemed rather passive for now, not receiving the answers she was looking for. "And-..." gulped Weiss, tapping her finger against her chin as she glanced away. Neo watched her like a hawk. "I... Mean... You're fun to be around, even though I've only known you for a day or two..." continued Weiss.

The shorter woman held both her hands behind her back as she took a step forward, closing the gap between the two. Weiss took one step back cautiously.

"Y- You want more?" she asked unsure. Neo nodded with a smile as she took another step forward, this time seemingly blocking the way to the steps as Weiss was forced back into the corner of the wall. "Uhh-... You're... Cute...?" she answered, blush growing deeper as Neo's trademark smirk appeared at the comment, taking a step forward towards the heiress until their bodies were only inches apart. "N- Neo, what are you doing?" asked Weiss. She still wasn't sure how she felt about her, well, not entirely. She felt some attraction towards the girl but this was all very sudden. She watched as Neo brought her hand up to her face, holding her cheek as her thumb brushed over her delicate lips, parting them slightly. "...N- Neo...?" asked Weiss again quietly.

Neo's actions halted, she realised she may be moving too quickly for the heiress and so had to find a way to play it off. She wiped her thumb against the corner of the girl's mouth before pulling her hand away and smiling. Weiss seemed confused but then it struck her.

"Oh, did I have something on my face...?" she asked. Neo nodded in response as she turned to continue up the stairs. Weiss for a moment stood at a loss, she couldn't stop thinking that something very lewd was about to take place. She shook the thoughts from her mind before following Neo up the remaining stairs. Her thoughts on the girl had now become a messy bundle and she wasn't sure wherever she really was actually attracted to her or just plain out confused by her actions. Maybe Neo was just socially awkward? It's not like she hadn't dealt with people like that before, one red cape came to mind.

The two continued on down the hallways as they slowly but surely found their way back to the room where Yang and Winter were located. There were voices coming from the room, a man's included. Neo approached the door and opened it, revealing inside that the General had made another visit. Weiss popped her head in around the corner as she looked to the three.

"Are we intruding...?" asked Weiss as she glanced over to Blake.

"Probably... best to wait outside for a moment" answered Blake in response with an apologetic smile. Weiss nodded once with a smile in return, she knew she had to respect their privacy after all. She made to leave through the door and pulled a stalling Neo with her.

As the door closed the General looked back to both Yang and Blake. "So there stands the offer in full, Xiao Long" he spoke firmly.

The blonde didn't have to spend too much time thinking on her answer, not after Blake told her the options beforehand. Her lilac eyes gazed over to Winter, she was probably one of the only pluses of joining the military, being able to hang out with her more. But of course... Her eyes turned to Blake, she would always have to come first. Looking to the General she answered, "I'm sorry... I just can't join the military" she answered.

The General nodded respectfully, "Understandable, it's not for everyone and I won't push the subject. This does mean the only other way I can provide you a prosthetic arm would be to pay for it, this is assuming you really want one" he answered.

Yang lowered her gaze in thought, "You know now that I think about it I'm not sure I do. I'll get an arm back sure but... It'll be all metal and cold... It still wouldn't be me" she answered.

A smirk appeared on the face of the General as he closed his eyes briefly. "Atlas technology has progressed far. We have been working with synthesized human tissue for some time now, at one point we even had a model that was inseparable from a human crowd. If you so desired we could make it seem like an actual human arm and not just a piece of metal" he answered. "We can even build it to remain heated though sometimes it may differ from your actual body temperature, nothing is perfect yet after all" he added.

"Is that what Winter is getting?" asked Yang as she raised a brow at him.

"If she wants it, of course. Though she has always been a practical woman with a fondness for machines, I believe a metal hand with a sleek design would suit her far better" he answered.

"It does sound nice... I won't say no but if I can't find a way to pay for it then I guess that's that" answered Yang.

The General nodded again, "If you ever change your mind on anything ask the staff to contact me, I've a fairly open schedule in the coming few weeks" he said as he bowed his head slightly, preparing to leave.

"Thanks by the way! For... For what you did for us all" spoke Yang as he left.

"Don't mention it, rest well Xiao Long" replied the General with a smile before leaving the room, shortly after Weiss and Neo entered.

"Weiss, what's up with your face?" asked Yang as she narrowed her lilac eyes towards the heiress, her cheeks still red.

Weiss glanced around awkwardly before moving towards her chair, "What? Nothing. How are you?" she asked, sitting down and looking upon Winter as Neo climbed back into her own bed, her smirk still present.

"I'm fine" replied Yang, she was sure that something was going on with Weiss, and more sure that it was a result of Neo. After all, she had an expression that was for too pleased for nothing to have happened.

* * *

Night moved over the city once again as the lights came in through the window. The sound of cars, distant people, the wind rushing past the building. All sounds she was familiar with. All sounds that reminded her of home. She felt stiff, like she had been sleeping awkward and her whole body ached when she tried to move so much as a muscle. Her breathing was struggled and each breath of air that she took in stung. She curled her fingers to grip the sheets of the bed. Something was off though... She couldn't feel the sheets on the right side of her. She moved her right hand to pull back her quilt but she couldn't grab it... Her icy blue eyes opened and glanced around the dark room.

Of course... That's what happened. Her eyes trailed down to her right arm, tracing along the pale skin in the moonlight that shined in from the window. They came to a halt at a bandaged stump at her wrist.

That's right. She lost.

Winter narrowed her eyes up at the ceiling before closing them once more, she knew the one thing she needed right now was more rest.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Her eyes opened suddenly as she tried to sit up from her bed, doing so however caused her agony within her ribs. She clenched her teeth, not wanting to scream in pain and wake the others in the room. She winced as slowly she tried to lay herself back down, a light sweat having formed over her body.

"Bad dream...?" came a weak voice. Yang had expected Blake, her eyes widening at the realization as they darted towards the source of the voice.

"W- Winter?" replied Yang, keeping her voice to a level where she hopefully wouldn't wake the rest.

The woman did in fact appear to be awake, her left arm casually resting over Weiss' shoulders who had once more fallen asleep with her head on her bed. Her fingers gently stroked her as she spoke in response, "Yes, it is me" replied Winter softly.

"When did you... When did you wake up?" asked Yang, eyes returning towards the ceiling.

"Hard to tell... I do not know what time it is... I would wager an hour at most..." replied Winter, her voice sounding weak and struggled.

"You sound... Rough... How are you feeling?" asked Yang once more.

A soft chuckle came from Winter's lips before she spoke, "Like I have been run through with a sword..." she answered.

"Well... Yeah I guess that makes sense..." replied Yang.

"What did you dream about? I heard you thrashing before you awakened" asked Winter, her eyes idly glancing down towards her little sister who slept soundly.

Yang sighed quietly to herself. "Neo" she answered.

"Ah. Enough to wake even the bravest from their sleep" responded Winter. "How long has it been since I ended up here by the way?" she asked.

"Dunno... About a day or two? Maybe three? My mind is a bit messed up" admitted Yang as she brought her hand to her head.

The eyes of both Winter and Yang darted towards the middle bed between them as Neo sat up straight, she didn't appear to be looking at either of them and just stared on ahead. "Here she goes again..." muttered Winter.

"Wait what? Neo what are you doing?" asked Yang in confusion, she didn't receive a response as Neo sluggishly pushed herself out from her bed, standing in a dazed fashion.

"Oh, you have not seen it before? She sleepwalks... I first noticed it back when we were camped just outside of the mountains. Had to push her back into her tent before she walked off into the dark..." answered Winter calmly.

Yang narrowed her gaze at the girl as she started shuffling around the room like a zombie. Now and then she'd just stop and stand still for a while. "Just when I thought she couldn't get any weirder..." commented Yang.

"She's harmless... Ended up in my bed when we were staying at the hotel though. Likely mistook it for her own, or at least I like to think that she was mistaken..." said Winter, icy gaze tracking Neo's movements as she started making her way towards the door. "Is that locked?" she asked, glancing once more over towards Yang.

"Uh... No..." answered Yang as she watched Neo's hand fumbling around for the door handle.

The two watched as she successfully opened the door and pushed it open, almost falling through in the process. "Well... We are both bed-ridden so there is not much we can do about it... I presume this hospital is well staffed?" asked Winter.

"Well... I think it is..." replied Yang. She paused as she stared at Neo leaving the room. The light from the hall now shined in through the door, dimly lighting what it could. "The... General is here by the way, he offered me an arm..." said Yang, deciding now would be the best time to talk to Winter about such matters.

"The General? That would explain why I am not dead... And let me guess, it was at a cost?" she asked.

Yang nodded, but quickly realizing Winter couldn't see her. "He wants me to either join the military or... Pay for it" she said.

"And which did you choose?" asked Winter once more.

"That's the thing, I didn't choose either. I don't want to join the military and I don't have the money to pay for it... So I guess I'm kinda stuck with just how I am now" replied Yang, she wasn't sure wherever she was being deceitful in steering the conversation to subtly question if Winter would pay for it herself.

A pause of silence passed over the room before Winter spoke, "What made you decide not to join the military?" she asked.

It wasn't the question Yang was expecting to receive. "It's just not for me you know? I don't know how you do it" she answered.

"I suppose I see your point. But I guess it is not all bad, you have after all learnt to deal with your disadvantage, have you not?" asked Winter.

"Well... Yeah I guess but-" her voice was cut off by Winter's.

"And obtaining an arm that is not truly yours will never give you back what you have lost. For example, you will never be able to feel with that arm, no matter how impressive or expensive it is" continued Winter. As Yang tried to speak however she only resumed her words. "Not to mention that it would take weeks to adjust to it, to learn to control it. And then you have the maintenance. Relying upon such a device could eventually leave you open to an attack, imagine if you would that your arm suddenly stops working when you were prepared to rely so heavily upon it. You would never have such issues in your current form, at least now you know and understand your limits" she finished.

Yang took in her words, it felt like Winter was trying to dissuade her from asking. After she remained in silence she heard the woman speak again.

"If you want me to pay for it I will, but you need to think about your decision. Safe to assume that I will be very upset if you suddenly change your mind..." she said.

"But... Winter, isn't that like all of your money?" asked Yang.

"It would be a sizeable sum, yes. But I plan on parting with that money... It is the last link I have to my father, his wealth, and I would be happy to be rid of it. If I help a friend along the way, well, that is a plus is it not? From then on I will earn my own wage, build myself solely upon my own achievements. Completely this time..." answered Winter.

Yang now had the means to obtain what she had desired for a time now, but now she wasn't so sure. It was almost as if Winter was telling her not to but she was likely going to get a new hand herself. It prompted the question from her. "Blake said you're getting something similar" she said.

"Did she? I suppose I should have expected it from the General..." she answered. "A hand is a lot less than an arm however..." she added.

"Yeah but... doesn't everything you said to me apply to you as well?" asked Yang again.

Winter smirked softly, her right hand now idly stroking Weiss' hair as she slept. "Yes, maintenance will always be a thing. All I need from the hand is some wrist movements and the ability to grab something, there are far less things that can go wrong with that than an arm. And secondly I would be obtaining one for the sole purpose of work. You will be obtaining one to... feel whole again" she answered.

Yang knew deep down that Winter wasn't wrong. She wanted her arm for many more reasons than just to be able to fight. Her thoughts trailing back to the moment she spent with Blake in the car, when they discussed a mechanical arm together. Yang began to feel that her reasons for wanting an arm were selfish, where as Winter wanted one to do her job which also involved helping others. The blonde frowned, is this what Winter had been trying to tell her? That she was selfish? The fact she was willing to pay for her needs stung all the more. "I'll... Think on it..." spoke Yang in a weaker tone as her eyes glanced down to Blake who slept quietly.

"Please do..." replied Winter.

* * *

The next morning came as the beams of the rising sun shined in through the window. They just so happened to strike Weiss straight in the eyes as she squinted them shut tighter. It was no use however as she quietly sighed to herself and elected to wake up. As she moved to push herself up from Winter's bed she felt an arm over her shoulders. Her ice blue eyes widened as she looked to her sister but she was still asleep. Confused she gently moved Winter's arm off of herself, placing it back down upon the bed. She pondered if Winter had done that in her sleep or had in fact woken up at some point in the night.

Her back ached, likely from the awkward position she had slept in yet again as she glanced around the room. Everyone appeared to be where they should be. "You know that you do not need to lose a good nights rest on my behalf, right?" came a familiar voice. Weiss turned with a shocked expression to see blue eyes staring back at her.

"Winter!" exclaimed Weiss as she moved in to try and give her sister some form of hug, the positioning making it awkward as Winter winced.

"Easy, I am far from recovered" she groaned in response.

"I- I've been so worried, and upset- and worried!" replied Weiss as she smiled brightly before pulling herself away. "How are you? Do you need anything? Anything at all?" she asked.

Winter couldn't help but smile up at her sibling. "Weiss, I am fine for the time being. Just... happy to see you in such high spirits" she answered.

"I'm sorry, for what happened back at the mansion. I was-" her voice was cut off.

"You needn't explain yourself. I understand" spoke Winter, there was never anything Weiss could do to make her think less of her. She would always love her sister unconditionally. "And what of you? How are you feeling?" she asked.

Weiss leaned back in her chair slightly as she spoke with glee, "Better now that you're awake" she answered.

Winter sighed softly, "You do not need to inform me of my condition either, I am well aware" she said as her sister frowned slightly. Winter's gaze shifted to Neo who was asleep in the bed behind Weiss. "What of her? Did she do as I asked?" questioned Winter.

Turning her attention back to Neo, Weiss answered. "She did. The Paladin found us and she protected me, kept me safe to the point she wasn't able to stand any longer. If not for the General though..." she paused, looking back to Winter.

"Good..." nodded Winter. As if she had heard people talking about her, Neo woke up. She sat up and glanced around, eyes idly passing over Winter before looking elsewhere. She froze and quickly returned her gaze to Winter who smirked at her in response.

In an excited manner Neo lunged forward and out of her bed to stand besides her, not even taking the time to put on some proper clothes. Weiss averted her gaze from the woman as a result with a soft blush of embarrassment.

Winter on the other hand didn't seem to care, she was after all a professional. "Neo, you deserve some thanks for protecting my sister. So from the bottom of my heart... Thank you" she spoke.

Neo smiled widely as she nodded several times in response at her good deed being praised.

"I understand you likely want to talk, but maybe you could put something more appropriate on first?" asked Winter, Neo nodded again before turning to start clothing herself.

* * *

An hour or so later and Yang finally stirred from her sleep, waking up to see Blake leaning against her bed, facing the direction of Winter. It appeared everyone (asides from Neo of course) was talking, even laughing. It was a sight to wake up to, finally here they all were once more, awake and alive. She smiled to see Blake do the same without noticing that she was conscious. The conversation currently taking place was something about Winter's motorcycle.

"I had never seen someone so embarrassed about the notion of wrapping their arms around your waist before" chuckled Winter's voice.

Yang's expression turned into suspicion as she listened in.

"But she used to ride a bike all the time, I would have never assumed she would have had so much issue with the matter" laughed Weiss.

Yang made a sour expression, they were talking about her. "I was just being respectful and stuff!" she protested. Her voice caught Blake by surprise who looked down at her, only to then start chuckling herself. "Ugh, you are the worst" smirked Yang.

"Blake, does she get embarrassed when you hold her hand?" asked Weiss from across the room.

"She gets embarrassed when I look at her" smirked Blake in response.

Yang's face grew a slight shade of red as she was made fun of, but she herself found it funny. "Oh, you're right!" said Weiss as she glanced over at Yang who's eyes peered over to her.

"You're hardly one to talk princess, you always get flustered!" replied Yang as she smiled. It was certainly a pleasant morning, herself and her friends simply laughing and enjoying themselves.

"I- I don't get flustered, my skin is really pale so it looks red sometimes!" answered Weiss in an embarrassed fashion, her own cheeks turning pink once more.

Blake peered over to Winter, "Winter has the same shade of skin and she doesn't blush at all" she answered.

"That's because she's _ice cold_ " answered Yang. She glanced around at the others, "Get it? Because her name's _Winter_? Yeah?" she grinned, amused by her own pun.

After a brief silence both Weiss and Blake started to laugh, Winter herself managing a soft chuckle in the state that she was in. It was to believed that Neo would also be laughing if she could, instead she simply smiled all throughout the jokes and stories she heard.

Winter gave out a sigh, "That is enough comedy for me, ladies. My chest is starting to pain me", her voice began to fade slightly.

After the mood had settled Weiss looked to her sister. "I'm going to find something to drink, do you need anything?" she asked.

"A... glass of water if you would" answered Winter. Weiss nodded in response as she stood up from her chair, preparing to leave the room. Winter took note that Neo seemed rather keen to follow her, was she still staying by her side as Winter had ordered her? Her eyes narrowed suspiciously before gently closing to get some further rest.

Meanwhile Blake turned her gaze back to Yang as the two began to converse. The first to speak was Yang, "Blakey, I heard from my dad by the way" she spoke.

"How is he?" asked Blake in return.

"Out of prison now, said he's heading to Patch to start looking for Ruby. With any luck most of our work will be done for us before we get out of here" she answered. The idea that the task of reuniting the team was still under-way even while she stayed in bed was a comforting one. Especially considering that it was Taiyang looking for her, a pro Huntsman.

Blake smirked, "You sound like you're getting lazy in here" she answered.

"Not like I can help it" smiled Yang in response.

The expression of the Faunus dipped slightly, "That reminds me..." she began as Yang raised a brow at her. "Remember when Neo saved you when he accidentally shot at you back in Vale?" she asked.

"Yeah, what about it?" replied Yang curiously.

"The expression she made back then, the one that looked like she was about to try and tear him apart. I saw it again recently... At the mansion" answered Blake.

Winter's voice intervened in the conversation, "When my father shot at Weiss, correct?" she asked.

Blake and Yang looked over to her in surprise. "How did you know?" asked Blake.

"I pieced it together myself. Neo likely had a difficult upbringing, probably relating to her own father. So when she sees a parent mistreating their child... She responds" she answered.

"I guess we all assumed she must have had something go wrong growing up to end up the way she did..." muttered Blake as her golden eyes idly gazed upon Neo's empty bed.

Winter glanced outside of the window on her right. "Of course, anyone could tell you that. The way she behaves, her lack of social skills. It seemed to me she never had an upbringing at all, why do you think I try to help her so often? Whatever she has become is no fault of her own, but the fault of those who influenced her. I think that I have caught glimpses of who she really is at some points along our journey but... Much has yet to be done to salvage what is left" she answered.

"You think she can actually become a normal person?" asked Blake, choosing not to believe in such words.

"Completely? Hard to tell. Help would not be wasted though..." replied Winter, eyes still watching upon the bright blue sky outside. A few clouds dotted around, the sun beaming down upon the buildings. She sighed to herself once more.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Weiss narrowed her ice blue eyes down at the ground. They stared forward for a brief moment to judge her strike. Nothing short of perfect would ever be accepted, she had to hit with just the right amount of power and with precision. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face as she concentrated, eyes glancing back down to the ground. She took a breath and adjusted her arms, bringing back her tool. She swung forward with a soft and light tap as she made contact with the small white ball. Her eyes tracked the object as it made its way along the flat green carpet and towards its destination.

An audible knock of light plastic as the ball struck the spinning sail of the small windmill, her eyes widening with a soft gasp as she watched the ball roll back down towards her. She clutched her plastic golf club in her hands as she shut her eyes in frustration. "Damn it!" she exclaimed as she stomped her foot against the ground. Her eyes opened and looked to Neo, who instantly turned her attention elsewhere as if feigning the fact that she found the situation humorous.

It had been two days since Winter woke up back at the hospital. Both she and Yang were still recovering, Yang was even able to sit herself up in her bed now with only minor discomfort. Winter on the other hand was still unable to move much at all. This morning Neo had suggested (As much as she could manage) that herself and Weiss spend some time outside of the hospital. Now that Winter was awake Weiss felt that she could take some time for herself, she had been sitting in that chair besides her bed far too often after all.

And so seeing no reason to reject Neo's offer, Weiss accepted. It was still within the early hours of the day, Neo had seemed keen to explore the city and stumbled upon a mini-golf course. The weather had been kind, the sky was white with light clouds that dropped gentle flakes of snow. It was not enough to coat the floor or cause much of a problem but Weiss would have preferred to have been out in the sun, because a lack of that made the wind around them rather chilly. The current hole they were on had already been bested by Neo who was now waiting for Weiss to catch up. The heiress was less than talented at such a game however.

Neo's eyes turned to Weiss' posture as she readied herself for another attempt. Her eyes glared at the windmill that had bested her thrice now. She brought her arms back and swung forward, tapping the ball towards the hole at the base of the tower. A light knock as the ball rolled back to her feet. Weiss grit her teeth in frustration as she brought her arms back again, another tap. It was difficult for her to restrain her anger and not just bat the ball into the distance. The sound of a light knock told her that she had once again failed. Neo smirked at her, silently amused. Weiss turned to point her plastic club in her direction, "It's because you're watching me! You're making me nervous!" she yelled in defence of her poor skill. Neo shrugged her shoulders at her and turned her back, folding her arms behind herself as she waited.

Weiss turned her eyes back down to the ball, she would not fail this time as she lined up the shot. She didn't understand why she kept missing her mark even after having done her best to predict when to swing. She gave a deep breath as she pulled her arms back and tapped the ball with the club once more. The ball was on course to hit the sail of the windmill again. Weiss narrowed her eyes as she subtly reached a hand forward, a small black glyph appearing over the ball and halting its progression. Once the tunnel was open she erased the glyph as the ball resumed its journey with success. Her expression turned to glee as she clapped her hands together in excitement.

"Yes! I did it!" she cheered. Neo looked over to her with slight confusion. She had heard the tap of the ball but Weiss' reaction seemed to have come far too late. Her eyes glared suspiciously before the two proceeded around the windmill and to the final part of the hole they were on. The ball was a mere tap away from its goal now. The heiress took her stance as she readied to humiliate the windmill behind her with her victory. Bringing her arms back she gave the ball a tap and sent it towards the hole. At first it seemed like it was dead on course towards its destination, but she noticed it had veered slightly. The small ball came upon the hole and skirted its edge before rolling away from it. Weiss opened her mouth in silent disbelief. "How is that even possible!?" she yelled, Neo had discovered the girl to be a very sore loser as she smiled idly towards her. Weiss stomped her way over to the ball and re-positioned herself. Her brow furrowed as she struck it, some of her anger getting the best of her as she hit too hard. The ball seemed to enter the hole but then bounced straight back up and out of it as it rolled further away from the goal.

Even Neo was a little surprised this time as she watched the ball, mismatched eyes glancing towards Weiss who was, safe to say, furious.

"That counted, okay!? It went in!" spoke the heiress as she walked over towards the ball, picking it up in hand before making her way over to the hole and dropping it in. Her ice blue gaze set itself upon Neo who appeared rather smug. She had won by a clear landslide, just like in many of the activities they took part in together. "Is there anything you're not good at?" asked Weiss as she crossed her arms over her chest, voice a little more calm now.

Neo placed a finger against her chin as her eyes glanced up, pondering the question.

Before she could begin a game of charades in order to answer, Weiss had spoken. "Ah, actually, how about skating?" grinned the heiress, knowing full well she was second to none in that particular activity. Well, maybe perhaps Winter bested her but she didn't count. Neo offered a rather dangerous grin in return, a look that worried Weiss. Did Neo actually know how to skate? Worst of all, was she good at it? If Neo could best her in what she considered one of her finest skills... She shook her head, she could not give in to defeat before even stepping into the ring. "Skating it is then, follow me. I think I remember the way" answered Weiss as she turned with Neo following closely behind.

* * *

The two left the mini-golf course and were once more upon the busy streets of Atlas. Neo had insisted on holding Weiss' hand as to not become lost in the crowd, which to be fair the heiress understood was an actual concern that could happen. For Neo however there was no lie as to what this all was, no question about it in fact. She had asked Weiss earlier to come on what was essentially a date. Weiss on the other hand didn't seem to consider it as such and would as a result perhaps require a push in the right direction. Neo's plan for now was to simply show the girl a fun time, but after skating she would need to try and move it all towards something more romantic to try and tell her that she considered this a date.

They continued on their way through the streets, brushing between and past people. The light snow continued to fall upon them as they came to a halt at a traffic light, waiting to cross the busy street. Every car here seemed sleek and polished, now and then it was easy to spot the cars that were brought in from Vale, they were a lot more... boxy and loud. They waited amongst other people for the lights to turn red for the traffic, and soon enough they did. The crowd made its way across the chequered path in the road before reaching the opposing crowd that was coming from the other side. Neo tightened her grasp around Weiss' hand as she moved through the group, being as short as they were it was difficult to see where they were going.

After emerging from the crowd Weiss stood at a halt, glancing left and right in confusion. Neo was stood beside her at a loss as to what caught her attention. The silver-white haired woman groaned before turning around and tugging Neo along. Somehow they had ended up on the same side of the street, did they really get turned around in the crowd? Skipping across the road quickly they managed to make it to the other side as the lights for the cars turned green and the traffic resumed. Together they continued on down the many paths of the city, turning left and right, crossing other various roads, passing all kinds of people both from Atlas itself or elsewhere.

Continuing on however, Neo began to notice the glances from random people. It appeared most were directed towards Weiss herself, and why wouldn't they be? She was practically a celebrity in this town and she hardly blended in. If anything their height was a boon, while those near them would surely recognize her, those far would not on the case of simply not being able to see them amidst the crowds. But it wasn't just random civilians giving glances. Sometimes Neo would spot a shady looking person, eyes watching like a hawk. Other times it would be an Atlas soldier. It was as if they were being tracked, but by the General? Or her father? This caused Neo to adopt a more cautious approach to things during their day and she made sure never to let Weiss leave her sight.

"And here we are" answered Weiss as she stood outside of a large building. "It's early so hopefully there won't be too many people around" she nodded before pushing her way through the door, Neo followed closely behind her, eyes briefly glancing around once entering the reception. It was clear save for the woman behind the desk who looked over to the two, eyes widening at the sight of Weiss. The heiress tried to subtly wrestle her hand from Neo behind her back, though the shorter woman was reluctant to let go and kept an iron grip. They didn't look awkward at all thought Weiss as a soft blush appeared over her cheeks.

* * *

Weiss looked out to the ice rink, her assumption proved right. More than right in fact, nobody else was here yet. She smirked to herself before moving onto the ice with her skating shoes. She had no difficulty whatsoever on such terrain as she slowly slid forward and spun to a halt in order to face Neo who had just prepared to join her. "Now the first thing you need to be aware of is-" began Weiss as she raised a finger to lecture Neo. She paused however as she watched her step onto the ice and slide forward on one leg, the other extended behind herself as her arms spread out wide. She held a wide smile on her face as she glided past Weiss who watched in surprise. She guessed Neo might be able to skate but... "You know, that's not exactly proper form" judged Weiss with a slightly annoyed expression as she followed after her slowly and with little effort.

Neo stood both boots firmly against the ice as she spun around to face Weiss, now sliding backwards as she smirked at her.

The heiress seemed suspicious as she spoke, "Where did you learn to skate?" she asked. To this Neo expression briefly dipped before she turned to face forward, gracefully gliding against the white surface of the ice. She shrugged her shoulders. Had Weiss brought up distasteful memories? She frowned to herself at the thought as she followed after her. The ceiling of the building was open and allowed the flakes of snow to fall down into the rink. It took until now for Weiss to realise just how hard it was to be hanging out with Neo however, a girl that couldn't speak. Where mostly idle chatter would accompany the skating she now found herself at a loss.

The shorter woman spun around once more as she started to glide in reverse, she reached both her hands out towards Weiss who seemed confused for a moment, Neo leaned forward slightly to grasp her hands into her own. This of course made the girl blush as she was pulled along. Neo smiled sweetly at her which caused her eyes to nervously glance away.

"Is... something wrong?" asked Weiss, the two began slowing towards a halt as they neared the centre of the ring. Neo tilted her head at the heiress as if examining her thoroughly, she pondered wherever now was in fact the good moment she was waiting for to explain herself. Weiss peered back at her with ice blue eyes, noticing that both of Neo's eyes had shifted into magenta as her hands pulled her closely. The two had come to a firm stop upon the ice now. "Neo...?" asked Weiss, cheeks growing flustered. Neo's hands slowly slipped from Weiss' as she would begin trying to convey her desires. At first she pointed to herself, and then to Weiss. The heiress focused as she started to decipher what she was saying. The third action involved Neo trying her best to form the shape of a heart with her hands. "Is... Is that some gang sign?" she gasped, "Are you part of a gang? Wait, are you asking me to join your gang...?" asked Weiss, failing to understand the clear message.

Neo shook her head with a disappointed look before re-attempting the hand gesture. Weiss narrowed her eyes at the shape of her hands, they then widened as her cheeks grew as red as ever.

"Wait... Are you-..." she paused, "Do you... Like me?" asked Weiss as she looked to meet Neo's gaze. With the most sincere smile anyone had seen on her face before Neo nodded and slid herself closer towards Weiss. The heiress stared into her eyes, someone, a girl of all things, had taken such an interest in her? She felt a warm feeling rushing through her body as her breathing quickened its pace, why was her heart beating so hard all of a sudden?

Her eyes glanced down to see Neo's hands reaching up towards her once more. They wrapped around her waist and pulled the two closer together. Their forms came into contact as Weiss stared upon Neo unsure. Was this really going to be what she thought it was? Did she want this? The questions kept fluttering through her mind as a hand reached up to the back of her neck. Neo's face was only inches away as she tilted it to one side, almost like she was asking the heiress if she was okay with the action she was about to perform.

"I..." began Weiss, maybe giving it a try wouldn't be the end of the world? Neo was attractive after all. She was her height, she had a great sense in fashion, she was colourful and fun. And the fact she never spoke was actually kind of a plus, Weiss never really liked loud people save from a few exceptions after all. She gulped and awkwardly placed her hands around the dainty form Neo, arms now wrapping around her waist.

Neo offered her trademark smirk as she moved her face closer towards Weiss'. Their lips briefly brushed against one another as the heiress reclined her head briefly, as if shocked by the sensation. Neo opened her eyes to look upon her before Weiss took in a breath and closed her own. Neo narrowed her gaze with a smirk before leaning back in to plant her kiss firmly upon Weiss' lips this time. Her arms tightened around her form and she quickly discovered how awkward Weiss was feeling. Was this possibly her first kiss? Regardless, Neo was enjoying herself far too much to stop just for the sake of her having cold feet. Weiss' lips felt incredibly soft, as if they were silk. The experience only excited Neo further.

She could feel her staggered breaths against her skin as the kiss continued, her fingers digging into her back. She had the heiress right where she wanted her. After a few more seconds Neo parted her lips from her and loosened her arms. She watched smugly as Weiss still had her eyes closed with her lips pursed, like she was still experiencing it before opening her eyes in a delayed response. She stared upon Neo, almost confused yet her arms were still wrapped around her waist so she must have at least liked it. The snow continued to fall upon the two as Weiss' eyes glanced down to the floor, "That was..." she began as she breathed out a breath, cheeks still red. "Acceptable..." she admitted.

Neo bit her lip subtly, everything had played out just as she had hoped.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

The gentle sound of metal scraping against ice became audible as the heiress found herself moving backwards. The gentle flakes of snow falling upon her as Neo's hands rested firmly against her shoulders, she was pushing her back slowly until finally Weiss felt her back press up against the barrier of the ice rink. The shorter woman leaned against her as her face came close to hers once more, moving in for a second kiss. The flustered expression of Weiss had yet to fade as Neo's lips came into contact with her own, they could only be described as delicate, much like the girl herself. Weiss was quickly learning to enjoy what was transpiring between the two as she gently closed her eyes.

She pondered wherever this meant that the two were now in a relationship... If so, Weiss didn't mind it. Blake had said something about keeping her distance from her but she had not been shown anything to be wary of. Sure the girl could be quite forward and teasing at times but they became qualities that she quickly learned to appreciate. It was her personal charm. That pushy side of her soon came back into play however as she felt Neo press her form harder against her as her tongue tried to force itself between her lips.

Such a direct intrusion startled the heiress as she gave out a muffled and surprised yelp and moved a hand up towards Neo's shoulder in order to stop her. She felt Neo's hand clasp tightly around her own however, preventing it from reaching its destination as their fingers intertwined. She could feel her tongue push its way into her mouth as Neo tilted her head and pressed into the passionate kiss. The very first thing Weiss realised was just how sickeningly sweet she tasted, it was like an extreme blend of sugar, strawberries and vanilla. She let out a shuddered breath of air through her nose as the deep kiss continued, her own tongue becoming a plaything for Neo's as she felt her legs grow weak at the sensation of such an intimate display of affection.

She began struggling to breathe and gave out a moan of discomfort in an attempt to alert Neo of such, but she didn't seem to listen as her eyes opened into slits. They were different this time though, having shifted from two magenta shades into... ice blue. They were her own eyes, but why was she showing them to her? Her lack of oxygen became noticeable once more as she took in a struggled breath through her nose. She fully decided that she couldn't take much more and so moved her remaining free hand to try and push Neo away. But just like the other, Neo's hand immediately clasped over it and locked the two together firmly. She made another moan of discomfort as steadily she found her hands being pushed back, pinned against the barrier behind her.

Something cold struck her from above, sliding down her back and sending shivers up her spine. When had the snow started turning into rain? The skies above were darker now as the clouds became thicker which as a result dimmed the ice rink as a whole. She heard a loud mechanical thud as the ceiling above them started to close slowly in order to prevent the rain from falling in. Weiss looked past Neo to see it shutting, the outside world steadily being closed off. Her attention was immediately drawn back to the girl in front of her. By this point she couldn't breathe at all and tried to push back against her.

She breathed in a gulp of air and coughed as Neo parted their lips, a string of saliva connected between the two. Neo herself took in a large breath, her expression beyond excited by this point. In fact it appeared that she looked somewhat sinister with the grin she had. Before Weiss could even recover properly Neo pressed back towards her for another kiss. Weiss turned her head to the side as she saw her draw closer, an attempt to stop her. As a result Neo's lips planted against her jawline as she licked and nipped at her pale skin lovingly.

"N-Neo... You're- hurting me..." spoke Weiss between breaths, wincing slightly. Neo brought her face back and tilted her head at the heiress. Her eyes then looked to her hands, she was practically crushing them against the barrier behind her. As if she was shocked she had done so Neo immediately released her and frowned. She took one of Weiss' hands into both of her own as she brought it up to her lips and placed a gentle kiss upon it in apology. Weiss looked to Neo with uncertainty, did she become so enthralled by the situation to realise the discomfort she was in? She looked genuinely apologetic too... Weiss softened her expression towards the girl, she couldn't fault her for that... could she? "You... Need to be more aware" answered Weiss. In response Neo nodded three times with her sulky frown, a hand gently stroking over hers in apology.

An audible slam was heard as the mechanical ceiling shut closed.

* * *

The rain outside was light and not enough to deter the two from continuing their day. Weiss sat across from Neo as the two ate the food that they had ordered. For Weiss a simple salad and for Neo, well, a bowl of ice cream with three varying flavours. For the most part they sat in silence, but such was to be expected. Weiss would speak on occasion if only to make it seem less awkward but it became clear to her that a relationship like this was going to be a struggle. This is assuming it was actually a relationship, how could it not be? She looked over to Neo, "So... Where are you from?" she asked. The opposing woman pulled her spoon from her mouth as she shrugged her shoulders at the question, eyes locking onto her. "Well... Is it not something you want to talk about?" asked Weiss once more. Neo nodded at the second question.

Just as the heiress had expected, if there was something that was certain it was that Neo seemed to refuse to speak about her past.

"Um... Do you have any other friends I don't know?" asked Weiss. Neo shook her head. "...Family?" Again Neo shook her head. Weiss frowned, the more questions she asked the less she knew about the girl. She decided to try something not relating to her history as she spoke again. "What's your... favourite colour?" she asked. Neo then pointed to her bowl of ice cream, at each individual flavour. Vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. "I guess I should have noticed that one" answered Weiss with a soft sigh.

Neo narrowed her gaze at the heiress. She pointed a finger at her as she readied to ask her own question, causing Weiss to focus as she prepared to decipher Neo's actions. The girl made a heart gesture with her hands before placing her finger onto the menu at the table. She then held up four fingers. At first Weiss was utterly confused, having failed to understand what she meant. Noticing this Neo pointed again at Weiss, made the heart gesture, and then prodded the menu twice as if trying to catch her attention. Weiss strained her eyes at the menu, Neo was pointing at the letter B on one of the choices. She then held up her four fingers again.

"Have I... loved before? Oh. You must mean have I been in a relationship before, right?" asked Weiss. Neo nodded with a smile in response, noting that she was correct. "Well... No" answered Weiss truthfully. "I hadn't even kissed anyone before... You" she added, now realising that her first kiss had went to Neo. Her gaze lowered slightly, she felt like she had no choice in the matter. Had it been stolen from her? She glanced up as Neo touched her hand in a comforting manner, smiling upon her. "Ah, sorry. I wasn't implying that..." Weiss shook her head with a polite smile. "So I've been meaning to ask... Are we...?" asked the heiress as Neo tilted her head at her. After a pause the girl nodded.

That confirmed it then. Neo believed them to now be in a relationship.

"Then just so we're clear, I have no idea what I'm doing. Okay?" said Weiss. Neo smirked and nodded before taking a scoop of her ice cream onto her spoon. She leaned over the table and extended the spoon towards Weiss who leaned back slightly with flustered cheeks. "Y- You want me to eat it?" she asked as her eyes glanced from the dessert towards Neo. The girl gave confirmation through a nod as she poked the spoon against the lips of the heiress. Weiss awkwardly opened her mouth and closed her lips around the ice cream on the spoon before Neo slowly pulled it back, the sweet dessert now absent. Neo's eyes narrowed slightly and her cheeks gained a pink tint to them. Weiss looked upon her with a confused expression as she swallowed the ice cream. "Is something wrong?" she asked. Neo shook her head before sitting back down into her seat. Weiss decided to think nothing more of it as she turned her attention to the window. People were passing by in the rain and the girl shivered just watching them. "I should have wore something warmer..." she admitted.

She was startled as her eyes quickly glanced over to Neo, something was brushing against her leg. She peered briefly under the table to see that it was Neo's own leg. She blushed and looked back up to the girl, "You're very... Forward, aren't you?" asked Weiss. Neo cocked her head at her as if asking if that was a bad thing. "I'm just saying... Maybe we could take it a little slower? I don't want to rush into things, especially not something I have no experience with" continued the heiress. Neo looked although she disagreed but her leg moved away from hers beneath the table either way. "Please don't take it the wrong way" spoke Weiss. The girl across the table from her offered a gentle smile in response. The two continued to sit in silence as they steadily worked their way through their food. To Weiss it seemed that Neo was impervious to brain freeze, or she had just gotten so use to it. "Do you like any other foods?" asked Weiss in an attempt to keep some semblance of a conversation going.

Neo finished another mouthful of her dessert before looking back up to Weiss as she spoke. Her eyes glanced back to the menu on the table as she poked her finger onto a word. She wasn't pointing at a specific choice however, she was just pointing at the title _Desserts_.

"So... Everything sweet?" asked Weiss, to which she received a nod in response. Weiss couldn't help but glance at her figure, how had she kept her form in such good shape if all she did was eat desserts all the time? Her eyes were instinctively drawn towards her chest as Neo pushed her back out with a grin, noticing that the heiress was looking at her form. Weiss shook her head after realizing where she was staring, straight at Neo's rather generous cleavage (For her size). Her ice blue gaze darted back up to her face, "S-Sorry, I wasn't meaning to-..." she sighed to herself. How often was she going to turn into an embarrassed mess today? Neo didn't seem all that bothered about the fact she was staring though, in fact she encouraged it as she bit her lip before leaning back into her chair comfortably. Anything she could do to gain a tighter hold over the heart of the ice queen was going to be worth it.

* * *

After having spent the rest of the day together the two finally returned to the hospital, now making their way down one of the numerous hallways. Neo walked by Weiss' side as her eyes scanned around searchingly. On numerous occasions had Neo kissed Weiss now, the heiress had quickly learnt that it was likely due to the fact she couldn't speak. Through actions she communicated and it was simply one of the ways she knew how to show affection. She would be lying if it hadn't been taking a toll on her however. Often did she have to also stop Neo from trying to progress too fast, from trying to sensually grope at her chest or even trying to run a hand up her thigh. Those moments had flustered Weiss terribly, if this was going to be a relationship she wanted it to be perfect, even though it might not be considered as such thanks to their rocky start.

Her footing was staggered as arms wrapped around her waist suddenly, causing her to stumble to the side. Neo had oddly lunged against her for an embrace, chin resting on her shoulder and looking up to her with a loving gaze. Weiss looked back down at her in mild confusion, "What is it?" she asked, eyes subtly glancing around in case anyone was watching. Neo blinked as her eyes shifted into magenta and glanced to a door near them, a janitorial closet. Weiss looked at the door and instantly understood what Neo likely wanted. She sighed softly before speaking in an almost whispering tone, "My jaw hurts" she answered. The repeat make-out sessions of the day had simply started to ache her, Neo had been less than gentle. The shorter girl's arms tightened around her waist as she pouted mockingly. "Maybe... later?" asked Weiss. It came to her thoughts that perhaps she should tell her to stop being so needy, but with her disability probably being the reason she was so physical it would likely come off as sounding offensive. Neo sighed silently against Weiss before nodding once and unwrapping her arms from around her form. She instead hooked her left arm around Weiss' right one as the two started walking again. "I... Should likely mention too, I don't want the others to know about... Us, not yet at least. Can you do that?" asked Weiss.

Neo nodded, if anything she was already planning on keeping their relationship hidden. She knew that the others were likely to not receive the news well, especially Blake who was already looking for a reason to hate her more. For now however she would enjoy walking alongside her newly gained girlfriend for a little longer. Those last three minutes seemed to go by fast as they turned the corner into the final hallway that led to the room the others resided in. As a result Neo unhooked her arm from a thankful Weiss as they drew nearer.

They reached the door and inside were the usual people they had expected to see, but there was another. Neo and Weiss recognized him as a member of staff, one of the many doctors. "Ah, Miss Neopolitan, just in time" spoke the doctor as Winter, Yang and Blake all looked to her. At first Neo seemed cautious as she glanced around, as if half expecting some sort of trap. "Don't worry, just need to do some routine checks. Come on over and take a seat" spoke the man in a calm manner. Neo glanced to Weiss who smiled at her in response. With that Neo approached the doctor and sat upon a chair besides her bed as Weiss walked on over to her sister's side. Winter's eyes seemed to narrow up towards the heiress which concerned her. "Tilt your head up please" came the voice of the doctor as Neo did as instructed. He moved his hands towards her neck and upon the briefest touch she recoiled in a startled fashion, eyes glaring at the man who raised his palms flat to her, "It's just procedure, it won't hurt" he answered.

"Do as he says, Neo" came Winter's voice, prompting a glance from the girl as her expression calmed. She turned back to the man and once more tilted her head up. His gloved fingers pressed against parts of her neck, the front of her throat especially. She seemed to find discomfort in the procedure but dealt with it regardless. After a few minutes the man nodded, "Next I want you to open your mouth wide please" he said. Neo lowered her head before doing as instructed, opening her mouth. The doctor took out a small flash light as he shined it into her mouth, eyes narrowing. Winter's attention turned to her younger sister, "How was your day?" she asked. There seemed to be some disapproval in her tone.

"Um... Not very eventful..." lied Weiss as she feigned a smile down at Winter. What did she know?

Winter glared upon Weiss as her voice lowered, "Need I remind you that you are still missing? Do you think he will have given up so easily?" asked Winter.

"But you said I didn't need to be here..." frowned Weiss, unable to keep up her façade.

"You dolt, I did not imply that you should go prancing the streets with the second least inconspicuous person besides yourself" answered Winter with some harshness in her voice. Weiss glanced down and away from her glare as Neo's eyes peered subtly over towards the two as her check-up continued.

"I'm sorry" apologized Weiss, she never liked being on the receiving end of her sister's anger. But she was right, Weiss was an easy person to recognize around these parts and the description of a pink and brown haired girl was not one that could be applied to many. It had been dangerous to leave the hospital without protection, one step down the wrong road and they both could have vanished from the streets and back onto a trip towards the mansion.

"Don't let it happen again" softened Winter's voice as her eyes looked over towards Neo and the doctor.

"And all done" spoke the man as he stood up straight. He glanced over towards Winter.

"Weiss, can you go get me some water?" asked Winter.

Eager to apologize Weiss nodded, "Of course" she answered as she stood to her feet and briskly began walking back towards the exit of the room. Being done with her check-up Neo was fast to follow after her, just as Winter predicted she would.

"Well?" came Yang's voice from her bed, she was sat up with her back against the headrest.

The doctor looked to all three remaining in the room, glancing down at some notes he had written in his hands. "Well... Physically there was no damage, no sign of anything out of place either, she's healthy. She should have everything she needs to be able to talk..." answered the man.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

"That's not possible though" spoke Yang as she looked to the doctor. He turned to regard her with a raised brow. "I've seen her in pain, seen her try to scream. She doesn't make a sound" she answered.

The doctor scratched at the side of his head with the end of his pen in thought. "It might be that she's convinced herself she can't speak, perhaps... trauma related or some such. A mental block. Something in her past that would have made her come to that maybe" he answered.

"That can actually happen? Even when they try to scream?" asked Yang once more.

"The brain is a stubborn thing" noted the doctor as he consulted his notes once again. "If you want you could try and convince her to speak, maybe if she tried hard enough of her own volition she might be able to do something about it" he answered.

Blake's golden eyes glanced to the door that Neo and Weiss had left through, "So we're sure she's not just acting it all out?" she asked.

"If she is she's very good at it" answered the man, finally turning his attention back to Winter. "Anything else you need while I'm here Miss Schnee?" he asked.

"No, thank you" nodded Winter from her bed as her eyes looked to the doctor. He nodded in response.

"In that case please get some rest. The General will be visiting again soon" he answered before turning to leave the room.

After he had left Yang's lilac gaze drifted over towards Winter, "Well that was news I guess. What else can we do to kill time?" she asked. After Weiss and Neo had left earlier in the day they decided to try and learn more about their mute companion, seeing as there was currently nothing else for the three to do.

"Get her to talk?" asked Winter as her eyes turned back up to the ceiling.

Yang smirked, "How would we even do that?" she asked, already deciding that it would be a nigh impossible task.

"You forget that we have something she wants. Or, well, someone" answered Winter as her eyes glanced back over towards Yang.

"Absolutely not" stated Blake firmly, eyes narrowing in disagreement towards Winter.

A soft sigh came from the woman, "I am not implying something so vulgar. All Yang would need to do is ask her to speak. Maybe offer a hug or a kiss, though you needn't actually give those if she manages. She's head over heels enough for her that it might actually work" she answered.

"Still no. She's finally calmed down" protested Blake once more, crossing her arms. She clearly wasn't keen on the plan.

"Yeah, okay" spoke Yang rather nonchalantly as the startled Faunus looked back at her.

"You can't be serious" she spoke, her expression worried.

"Blakey, it's not like anything is gonna happen" answered Yang as she looked to her girlfriend.

"It's more that I'm worried you're going to re-ignite her behaviour, she's unstable and you teasing her won't help" replied Blake, voice becoming sterner.

Yang raised her hand up apologetically towards Blake, "It'll be fine, if she starts up again I'll just shoot her down harder. Besides, think how easier things will be if she starts talking. We could tell her to shut up. I've always wanted to tell her to shut up" answered Yang.

"What? But she can't talk" answered Blake, confused at her partner.

"Exactly, so I never get a chance!" replied Yang.

The Faunus brought her palm to her face and sighed, "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you if things get out of hand again" she answered as her golden eyes peered between her fingers down at Yang.

"Okay I hear you, but don't hide that pretty face when you're talking to me" smirked Yang. Blake lowered her hand from her face only to lightly slap at the blonde's shoulder with a soft smile of her own. Winter's expression cringed slightly as she continued staring up at the ceiling, romance was awful.

* * *

Weiss was returning with a cup of water, Neo walking alongside her with a smile as her eyes idly glanced about. Once again Neo had attempted to take Weiss somewhere more private causing the heiress to explain to her that if they were gone for more than five minutes Winter would suspect something. Thankfully the girl didn't seem too upset about the rejection as they walked down one of the many halls of the hospital.

There were approaching the last corner and could hear two voices. Weiss came to a halt and held out her hand to halt Neo as she peered around it. It was two soldiers partaking in what sounded like casual conversation but their words quickly caught her attention as she listened in.

"Have you been on patrol around the industrial estate lately?" asked the first soldier, folding his arms.

The second soldier shook his head, "No, why?" he asked.

"Nothing important, I just think we need to replace the Paladins over there" responded the first soldier.

"Are they still using the older models?" asked the second.

"Nah, they've just got this weird delay on them compared to the ones from the other districts. It's just enough to really piss you off, you know? Like, I can still do my job but it really grinds my gears" he sighed.

The other soldier nodded, "Yeah I know what you mean. Latency is a real bitch, no matter how small it is. Though saying that, the Knights over in the entertainment plaza started acting up" he replied.

"Didn't we just get those ones in?" asked the first soldier.

"Yup. Sometimes they just miss a word from an order, like their systems are being over-clocked or something" came the response.

"Probably the interference in that place, it's loaded with signal waves. We're getting the new optics in soon by the way, the ten eighties I think?" said the other soldier as the two of them started moving down the hall and away from the corner Weiss and Neo were behind.

"New optics won't make them hear better. I think we just need to get the vacuum and clean them all out" answered the soldier.

"Dude..."

"What?"

"Never use a vacuum" said the first soldier as he shook his head at the other.

"Why the hell not?" came the response as their voices started growing distant.

"Don't you know anything about static-..." they voices finally vanished as they turned a corner.

Weiss shivered slightly as she felt Neo's hand place itself upon her waist, "N- Neo, what did I say not three minutes ago?" sighed the heiress before turning the corner. She thought briefly on what the soldiers had said. They were having issues with their Knights and Paladins? She pondered if it could have been the storm that had passed over the city that interfered with them. Neo skipped after her as they drew closer to the entrance of their room. Weiss entered first and approached Winter, she noticed however that she was asleep. She frowned and placed the water besides the bed instead before looking over to Yang. "Where's Blake?" asked Weiss, the Faunus seemed to be missing.

"She went to get me some coffee, but I'd really prefer tea right now for some reason. Can you go chase her down for me?" asked Yang as she looked back to Weiss. The heiress smiled and gave a nod.

"Of course, anything to help" she answered, making her way back towards the door. She saw that Neo was already following her again but a voice halted the two.

"Uh, Neo, can you stay here? I need to talk to you" spoke Yang. Neo froze in her steps as she looked upon her with mismatched eyes. She then glanced back to Weiss and then towards Yang once more. She made her decision and started walking towards Yang. Weiss silently watched Neo, pausing far longer than she should have before leaving the room alone.

The silent girl reached Yang and sat down in Blake's chair besides her bed, tilting her head at her curiously.

Yang looked somewhat cautious as she spoke, "How are you doing?" she asked.

Neo's eyes looked up as she pondered the question. She looked back down and gave a nod.

"I didn't understand that" replied Yang.

Neo's gaze seemed to search the blonde for a moment before she shrugged her shoulders.

With a sigh Yang decided to just try and brute force the matter, "Why don't you talk?" she asked. To this question Neo paused as she watched her, eyes trailing down towards the ground. "Neo, I know you can. So why won't you?" continued the blonde as Neo's eyes turned to her, narrowing slightly. Perhaps she had caught on as to what the check-up earlier was. "Okay, how about this. Tell me how you feel about me, with words. Maybe then we can put most of what happened behind us, start a clean slate yeah? We could be like... friends" suggested Yang.

She managed to get a reaction out of Neo as her eyes seemed to widen slightly, she leaned forward in her chair as she opened her mouth in an attempt to speak. Her lips moved... but no words came out. At the realization she wasn't making sound her expression steadily shifted into a frown as she glanced aside, eyes shifting around as if in a slight panic. Yang watched her carefully, it truly seemed like she had tried to speak to her just then. Neo turned back up to face her, one hand clutching her own throat as her lips parted to try and speak once more. She shut her eyes tight and she looked although she would be yelling. Her hand curled into a fist as her face reddened slightly. There was no doubt, she was trying her absolute best.

This was progress though. It told Yang that she really must have some kind of mental block that was stopping her from using her voice. "Wait, calm down" spoke Yang in a soothing voice as she raised a hand out to her. Neo stopped and her gaze dropped to the floor, her lips quivered, she looked utterly sorrowful over the fact she couldn't talk. "Look- Maybe... Maybe you can write instead? That's easier right?" asked Yang, reaching to the side table draws and opening them. She leaned over to look inside and pulled out a pen and a small notebook. Turning she handed the two over to Neo who eagerly took them into her hands. She opened the notebook and pressed the nib of the pen down onto the paper.

Finally it looked like she was going to be able to communicate with Neo clearly. But something was wrong. Yang looked down to Neo's hand, it was still, unmoving. Her hand was shaking as she pressured the pen further into the notepad, denting the paper inwards. Her expression was once more struggled, could she not even write? She understood how to read but did her mental block also prevent her from simply writing down what she would say? The blonde was startled as Neo stood to her feet and threw the notepad aggressively at the wall. She then took the pen in both hands and snapped it in half, the ink spraying over her clothes as she threw the two halves to the ground and repeatedly starting to stomp her boot against them.

"Woah! Neo stop, it's okay!" yelled Yang as she tried to reach a hand out towards the girl, her body ached as she extended herself too far however and so was unable to reach her.

"Neo!" yelled Winter's commanding voice from across the room, her eyes were staring right at the two. In truth she had been awake the whole time, as they had planned for her to be. But the short girl wasn't listening to either of them as she continued to stomp down on the broken pen in a rage. Was she so desperate to get her words across? Yang noticed that it wasn't simply anger in her expression however, she was crying.

The short woman turned as she began stomping her way to the door, "Wait!" called Yang, but as before she would not listen. The door opened right as she went to grab it, Blake was stood in her way with a briefly confused expression. In her blind state Neo slammed both her hands against her shoulders, pushing her harshly into the door and spilling the drinks she was carrying. Neo caught the glimpse of Weiss from the corner of her eye, and for a moment she paused as her expression appeared to soften. A fist crashed into Neo's jaw as her aura flickered and faded. Her eyes shifted into a startled white as she collapsed against the floor from Blake's retaliation.

"Neo!" yelled Weiss with concern as Blake narrowed her eyes at her with a furious glare, moving towards her.

"Blake stop! She's down!" came Yang's voice as the Faunus looked to her. Weiss slipped past Blake as she knelt down besides Neo, she was unconscious.

"What did you do?" asked Blake as she brushed some of the spilt tea from her clothes.

Yang frowned as she looked over to where Neo lay, "Nothing she just... She got mad... She was trying to talk, trying to write and then just..." she shook her head as she sighed.

Blake looked down to Neo and Weiss as the latter returned the glance, "How did you even break her Aura with your fist!?" she said in surprise.

The Faunus scoffed and glanced away, electing not to answer the question. "She's... delicate" came Winter's voice as she observed what she could of the scenario from her bed. Weiss frowned as she checked over her partner, a red mark already appearing where Blake had struck her.

"She... She looks like she was crying...?" asked Weiss as she did her best to try and lift her up from the floor, she glanced up to Yang, "What happened?" she asked.

"I told you, she just got really emotional when she tried to talk..." replied Yang, sounding somewhat saddened herself by the fact she had caused this mess.

Blake glanced over to the blonde, "I'll go get that tea again" she answered, sounding rather annoyed at the fact she was making a second trip. With that she exited through the door as Weiss struggled to push Neo into her bed before sitting down in the chair besides it.

"I grow more curious by the day to discover just exactly what happened to that girl to make her this way" came Winter's voice as her eyes glanced over to the window.

"Is that what you did?" came Weiss' voice. Winter narrowed her eyes and glanced over towards her younger sister. "You've been messing with her like some toy to find out why she can't talk? Why she's different?" asked Weiss again in an annoyed fashion.

Winter's voice sounded threatening as she spoke, "And just what has come over you, dear sister?" she asked.

Weiss' expression shifted as she tried to glance away from her sister's glare. "I think you should leave her alone, it's not fair" she answered.

"I agree. Were it to be true that we were doing as much as you accuse us of" answered Winter sharply in response.

Weiss frowned as she looked over Neo, after noticing that Winter had turned her gaze away she subtly reached her hand to gently clasp it over her partner's. She didn't find it fair the way they treated her, the way they seemed to stare and prod like she was some animal, some outsider that didn't belong. That wasn't what she was, to her she had become more than a friend in such a short amount of time. Her thumb brushed over the back of her dainty hand as behind her Yang's lilac eyes stared. She had discovered the truth about the two.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

A day had passed and Yang found herself in a different room this time, but on the same bed. Since one of the beds was no longer required of them they had been moved from the larger room and into separate smaller ones to make space for new patients. She didn't mind the privacy though as her lilac eyes glanced down upon Blake who was asleep besides her in the bed, head resting in the crook of her neck. Yang smiled softly before glancing around her room. It was small but not cramped, she had a window on her left that granted a view of the sky. It was already noon and the sky was blue with a lack of clouds. Finally another sunny day.

Her mind however kept going back to the day before, to when she spotted Weiss and Neo. She wasn't sure what game Neopolitan was playing but either way she would have to warn Weiss, it was for her own safety. She also gave thought to telling Winter but with how she had reacted to Weiss the day before she wasn't sure. Yang closed her eyes gently, if it was Ruby in this mess instead she'd want to know... She sighed, knowing she would have to tell Winter now. There was a lot she needed to do though, one topic came to mind as she looked down to Blake once more.

Gently the blonde blew against Blake's cat-like ear. She watched as it twitched in response. She smirked and repeated the action, yet again did the sensitive ear flick. A third time and Blake groaned, slapping her hand against her partner's face in a tired manner. "That's really annoying..." muttered Blake.

"Wakey Blakey" teased Yang as she blew once more into her ear.

"Nngh... Stop it already, I'm awake..." groaned Blake once more as her golden eyes opened slowly, they glared up at Yang in a less than approving fashion at having being woken up.

Yang only smiled down in return, "It's late and we got stuff we need to talk about. Seeing as we're all cuddly I thought now would be a good time" she replied.

Blake shifted herself slightly to lean her head on her hand as she pressed her elbow into the bed, she now looked down upon Yang and leaned forward slightly to peck her lips with a brief kiss that was returned in kind. "What is it?" she asked after pulling away.

Yang's smile faltered as she spoke, "I spoke to Winter recently, about getting that new arm. She said she would pay for it but... I need to ask, do you think it's selfish?" she asked.

"Do I think it's selfish...?" questioned Blake with a confused expression. Yang nodded to her in response before the Faunus sighed with a smile, "You really are an idiot" she answered, reaching out her hand and softly placing it upon her partner's cheek.

"But I'd be getting someone to pay for something just to... Make me whole again" she answered, quoting Winter's words to her.

Blake shook her head, "It's not selfish. You lost something you shouldn't have lost in the first place, you became... less than others physically because of it and it hurt you. It's not selfish to want to be like everyone else again, to be on the same level. Did she tell you it was?" she asked.

"No... I just started thinking about it is all" answered Yang.

"Leave the thinking to me, you're awful at it" chuckled Blake as she leaned down to place another kiss upon her lips. Yang tilted her face up to meet it as she closed her eyes, pressing her lips up against her partner's. After a few seconds they parted once more.

Yang smiled back up at Blake as she opened her lilac eyes. "Well, I guess that solves it then. I'm gonna get a new arm... It almost doesn't seem real. Are you sure you want-" her voice was cut off.

"Stop thinking. Just do what you want, I'll still love you either way" interrupted Blake.

It was always reassuring for Yang to know that Blake would support her no matter what happened and she hoped that Blake understood that the same support would come from herself too. "Aren't you just the cutest?" spoke Yang. "There's something else though, it's about Weiss" she said.

Blake gave her girlfriend a curious look, "What about her?" she asked.

"You know she's been spending a lot of time with Neo right?" responded Yang, to which Blake nodded. "Well, yesterday I saw her like... Touching her hand. It didn't look like the whole _Oh I hope she's okay_ kind of hand touching either. It was more... You know..." answered the blonde as she took on a concerned expression.

"A... Relationship?" asked Blake as she turned her head to the closed door.

"Yeah..." confirmed Yang. "So I'm thinking it ain't good right? So... I'm gonna go talk to Weiss. If it's actually a thing we'll have to tell Winter too" she answered.

"Winter? Well... I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to seeing her reaction towards Neo... But that little brat might try something if she gets exposed" replied Blake as she turned back to face Yang.

Yang nodded in agreement, "She probably will... But Weiss comes before Neo's feelings and if she wants to throw a tantrum then it'll only prove to Weiss what kind of person she is" she answered.

"Wait, how are you going to ask Weiss in the first place? You're stuck in bed" asked Blake as her eyes narrowed suspiciously at her partner.

Yang smirked at her, "I'm feeling pretty good, good enough to maybe try stand up" she answered.

"You sure that's a good idea?" asked Blake, her voice carrying some worry in its tone.

The blonde nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, never been more sure" she answered as she glanced around in preparation to get out of bed.

* * *

Her mismatched eyes opened as she tugged at her wrists, her gaze glancing down to realise that she had once more been restrained in her bed. "Oh, you're awake?" came a familiar voice to her. She looked over to see Weiss, sitting besides her. The heiress looked unsure as she leaned forward, "Are you... feeling okay?" she asked again. Neo stared at Weiss before tugging at her restraints once more. "Ah, of course..." began Weiss as she turned her attention to her wrists. "They were worried you might... Be upset, when you woke up..." she answered with a frown as her ice blue eyes returned to her face. "I can take them off if you promise me you won't do anything sudden" spoke Weiss.

To this Neo gave her a single nod in return but otherwise her expression seemed featureless as she watched blankly.

Cautiously Weiss brought her hands to the thick leather restraints around Neo's wrists. She undid the first and saw that Neo barely reacted before leaning over her in order to undo the second. Once both her hands were free she felt Neo pull her down into the bed. Weiss gave out a surprised yelp as she found herself now laying besides her partner who immediately wrapped her arms around her and buried her face against her chest. Weiss paused, she had expected Neo to kiss her again as she usually did but this was just a hug, a cuddle for comfort, a softer side to Neo's affection that she rarely saw. In response she held her arms around her in return, her hand softly stroking her back. She felt Neo shudder as her arms tightened around her. It appeared although she was simply upset by the events that had transpired the night before.

In this moment Weiss found that she was able to comfort Neo, able to calm her where she might have otherwise lashed out. Her eyes glanced down at the girl who looked back up to her with the same ice blue eyes. Once more Neo had mimicked her and it again brought her confusion for she still did not understand what it meant. It was odd, looking back into her own eyes. Neo smiled gently up towards her, yet some part of her seemed upset as if she was simply wearing a mask of content. The smaller woman closed her eyes as she leaned her face up towards Weiss', lips pursed. She knew it had to come to this eventually and so she indulged in it as she lowered her own lips to meet Neo's. The two partook in a soft and gentle kiss before parting. Neo opened her eyes once more, they had returned to their usual brown and magenta combination. She blushed softly as her arms loosened around her.

Slowly did Neo elevate herself slightly from the bed before rolling onto Weiss, laying atop her as the heiress took on her own pink blush. She didn't mind though, her jaw wasn't aching any more after all. She smiled back up at Neo invitingly as she once again brought their faces close and into a deep and passionate kiss. Weiss kept her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, emitting a soft moan of delight as Neo's tongue mingled with her own. She enjoyed the sensation of their intimacy, but only to have it cut short by a sound that forced her eyes to open wide in panic.

The door.

Neo parted from the kiss as fast as she could as she looked over to the door. It was too late, Yang and Blake were both right there, staring at them in disbelief. "I... Guess that confirms it..." muttered Yang as she looked at the two. Weiss in particular looked horrified as she stared back at them.

"I- It's not what you think! We were just-...!" began Weiss as Neo rolled herself off of her. The heiress stood up and out of the bed, hastily straightening out her creased dress. Neo stood up and besides her partner, she seemed far more calm as she looked to Blake and took a step forward. The Faunus narrowed her eyes in response as Neo seemed to bow her head forward in apology.

The three looked to her. Yang and Blake were taken by surprise, was Neo actually apologizing to Blake for what happened? Even though she most certainly got the worst of it. Yang turned her attention back to Weiss, "We need to talk in private, do you uh... Mind stepping outside for a second?" she asked.

Weiss looked to Neo as she stood up straight, to say the heiress looked panicked was now an understatement, she looked terrified. Turning her attention back to Yang she hesitantly nodded, "O- Okay..." she spoke with guilt.

Yang frowned softly, "It's... Not that bad... Just come on" she said, trying to calm Weiss with what little attempts she could offer. Blake kept her golden gaze on Neo as the two left the room, Neo responded by looking to the floor as if in shame.

Blake closed the door behind them as the three entered out into the hall. "Y- Yang, should you be walking?" asked Weiss as she looked to the blonde.

"I stumble a bit but I'm managing, but we do need to talk... And it's out of concern for you, so don't worry" replied Yang.

"Neo's dangerous" spoke Blake bluntly as her eyes accused Weiss.

"Blake..." said Yang as she looked to her. The Faunus sighed and crossed her arms as she looked elsewhere. Yang returned her lilac gaze to Weiss.

"But... she's not" replied Weiss.

"I'll go take care of that other thing" said Blake as she turned to start making her way down the hall. Yang watched as she left through the corner of her eye, knowing that she was going to inform Winter.

"Wait where is she going? Yang?" asked Weiss, her face growing more concerned by the second.

Yang placed a hand upon Weiss' shoulder, "Look... We're worried for you. Neo's... Done stuff... Like, really bad stuff" she answered.

"So she used to work with Roman. Blake was White Fang but that doesn't matter any more does it? Why is it different with her?" replied Weiss.

A sigh escaped the blonde's lips as she shook her head, "No, you don't get it... Neo..." she looked elsewhere, trying to find the best way to word what she was about to say. "Not counting the fact she tried to kill me, she's done some messed up things..." she began.

"But that was a long time ago, she's fine now. She's nice-" Weiss' voice was cut off.

"She tried to force herself on me" interrupted Yang as her eyes locked onto the ice blue ones of Weiss.

The heiress was stunned by the accusation, pausing in silence before looking back to the door. "You- You're lying..." muttered Weiss. She didn't want to believe that the person she had become so close to was capable of something so vile.

"I'm not lying Weiss. It was on the way here, we were out together looking for help. To put it short, she pushed me down, climbed on top of me and pinned my arm to the ground" answered Yang with distaste for the memory in her voice.

"B- But you said tried?" asked Weiss.

"She stopped herself" answered Yang plainly.

"Then that means she's... She's not like that, that she changed" answered Weiss, attempting to find any way she could to see the better side of this.

"She tried Weiss. It shouldn't take more than that to tell you who she really is" stated Yang.

Weiss paused as her eyes tried to look anywhere but at Yang, droplets already forming. "But she's... She's nice to me... She cares about me" she said, voice sounding weak and distant. She felt the hand on her shoulder pull her into a friendly embrace as Yang held an arm around her.

"I'm sorry... I'm not trying to upset you... I'm just trying to look out for you" spoke Yang softly as Weiss pressed her face against her shoulder.

"... I-... I know..." came the quiet response from the heiress.

Admittedly Yang felt guilty for pushing Weiss into this state but as she had told her, it was for her own protection. There was no telling what she herself or Blake would do if Neo had mistreated their valued friend. "I... Listen, I'm not telling you to stop whatever it is you have with her... I just... I just want you to understand the dangers, that she's trouble. But if you want to stay with her... That's your choice. I'm not about to start controlling your life" she answered.

"... Thank you Yang..." came the response before the heiress stood up straight, brushing a tear from her cheek with her finger. She looked left and froze however, "What is Blake doing...?" she asked.

Yang paused herself, she knew her words were about to cause more drama. "She..." began the blonde as the heiress turned to her with an alarmed expression.

"N- Not Winter... Please tell me she isn't-" began Weiss, a look of horror once more passing over her expression.

Yang glanced down the hall Blake had walked down with a frown, she gave a slight nod.

"No! She- She wouldn't understand!" said Weiss in a panic once more as she turned to start running down the hall.

"Weiss wait!" called Yang, unable to chase her down due to her condition. She looked to the door besides her as Neo poked her head through with concern.

The heiress reached Winter's room as Blake was leaving it. She caught a glance from the Faunus, one of apology. Weiss turned her attention to the open door, within it was Winter, glaring at her. "Dear sister, come in and close the door would you?" spoke Winter. Her voice was firm and exuded power. Weiss lowered her head and took a hesitant step forward, and a second. "Hurry now..." spoke Winter once more. A few more steps into the room and Weiss closed the door behind herself, dreading what was to come next.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

The sound of the ticking clock echoed loudly in her ears as she stared at the door in front of her. She breathed in a silent breath as she turned, her vision looking down to Winter who was sat up in her bed. "Come, sit" she gestured calmly as her hand motioned towards the chair besides the bed. Weiss lowered her gaze as she approached the seat, sitting down upon it and cupping her hands together in her lap. "Look at me" spoke Winter once again as Weiss obliged, her eyes meeting a colder shade of her own. Winter stared upon her with an accusing glare in silence, eyes narrowing slightly in thought. "Is it true?" she asked. Weiss remained silent as her frown deepened, this only seemed to annoy her sister however as her voice shifted into a clearer tone. "Answer the question Weiss" she ordered.

Weiss could feel a growing sense of familiarity in the position she found herself in as her ice blue eyes lowered briefly, "Y- Yes" she answered nervously as she looked back up to her sister's face.

Winter's expression grew sterner as she sighed through her nose. "When you leave this room you will end it, is that clear?" she asked.

"What? But-" began Weiss as her eyes widened with concern, her voice was cut short by her sister's however.

"This is not up for debate and I will not watch as you make a fool of yourself" snapped Winter, her tone of voice now in full discipline mode.

"But I like her, and she likes me!" replied Weiss, her features becoming more distraught by the second.

Winter clenched her jaw at her sibling's refusal. "She doesn't like you, she will never like you. What are you looking for? A relationship? Because she doesn't want one, all she wants is someone she can play with and I will not have that someone be my own sister!" raised her voice as her eyes sharpened at Weiss. "You will end it-"

"I don't want to-!" yelled Weiss in response as she stood up from her chair.

"You do not know what you want!" yelled Winter in response. Weiss turned silent as her eyes looked down at her sister, she was shocked at her words as she clutched her hands together against her chest, taking a step back and bumping her legs against her chair unintentionally. "You have been pampered and sheltered in that mansion too long Weiss, it has made you naïve to the point you will gladly latch onto the first person who shows you a façade of loving affection! She is using you and you are too blind to see it!" continued Winter, now clearly angered at the entire situation. Weiss choked on her words before she could even respond, she took another step back around the chair and closer to the exit. "Do not even think to leave before we are done here..." warned Winter in a threatening manner. But Weiss didn't listen to her, she looked at her sister as if she were looking upon another subject that treated her in a similar fashion. "Weiss!" warned Winter once more as she moved closer to the door. When she was close enough she turned her back and briskly made for the exit, opening the door as her sister yelled her name again.

The heiress once again had tears flowing down her cheeks as she ran by Blake, Yang and Neo. The latter of which looked to her with concern and prepared to run after her. A voice halted her however.

"You. Neo. Get in here now" came the demanding voice of a furious Winter. Neo paused to look at her, conflicted by her desire to chase after Weiss and her willingness to follow Winter's orders. "Did I stutter!?" snapped Winter. Both Blake and Yang looked to her in surprise, never having seen the woman in such a fashion before. Neo frowned as she entered the room and closed the door behind her. She moved towards Winter and stood before her, she was too slow however to avoid the hand that grasped around her neck and pulled her harshly. She was face to face with Winter now as the woman spoke with venom laced words. "How dare you..." she whispered. Neo gripped at Winter's wrist as her hand squeezed tighter around her neck. "The sheer audacity to pursue my sister whilst knowing I'd realize exactly what you were after... I cannot tell if you are stupid or greedy... Maybe both..." she continued on, Neo shut her eyes as her boots slid against the floor in an attempt to push herself away from her aggressor. "So stop what you are trying to get from her, stop manipulating her and stay out of her life. She is far better off without someone like you, someone who could never love or care for anyone. I wanted to help you, but after what you have attempted...? You are alone Neopolitan..." she finished as she shoved her back by her throat, releasing her grasp.

Neo stumbled back and fell over the chair, hitting the ground. She clutched a hand to her throat as she looked back up at Winter with white eyes. Winter was someone dear to her, someone she trusted and found some semblance of friendship in. Now she had lost that. She steeled herself in an attempt to not display her sorrow for that moment as she stood up to her feet and rushed from the room as Weiss had. Winter watched her leave before her eyes glanced to the window of her room, outside of the door Blake looked in curiously before it closed by itself. Yang was absent as Neo briskly made her way down the hall in the same direction Weiss had left in.

* * *

Yang had been searching for Weiss after having seen her flee from the scene. She sought to provide what comfort she could after seeing how upset she was, that after all was what friends were for. She walked down various halls and asked numerous members of staff if they had seen her. Sometimes she got answers, other times she didn't. She didn't believe that Weiss would have left the building completely and so kept her searches indoors for the time being. She came upon one door in particular as she peered in through the window. It was a room filled with chairs, tables, two or three arcade machines and other such activities. Her eyes caught the glimpse of something on the sofa inside that faced a small TV.

She opened the door quietly and made her way in, approaching the sofa. She reached a point where she could see over the top of it. It was Weiss, but she was with Neo. The two were sat comfortably, Neo with her arms wrapped around the heiress as she cried softly with her face buried against her. Yang paused as Neo glanced back at her, eyes coloured an ice blue. She'd never seen Neo with those eyes before but she could tell that they mimicked Weiss'. She thought to asking if Weiss was okay but stopped herself as Neo looked back down to the heiress before resting her head on top of hers in a soothing manner.

It appeared although Weiss had all the comfort she needed and despite knowing what Neo was capable of, something about this was different. It almost seemed like Neo actually did care about the heiress. Yang frowned, perhaps waiting outside would be the safest bet for now. That way she would be close enough to ensure Weiss was okay and when they were finished she could simply ask her then. The blonde turned before silently making her way back to the door, closing it behind her.

Neo glanced back once more to see that Yang had left, eyes returning to Weiss as her sobbing began to steady. "Who was it?" asked Weiss with a muffled voice before leaning back to glance up at Neo, her eyes had shifted briefly into lilac. From this Weiss knew that it was Yang. "I'm... Sorry. For... For what Winter did to you..." spoke Weiss as the tips of her fingers brushed across the red mark left by Winter's grip upon her neck. Neo offered a sad smile to the heiress in return before planting a soft kiss against her forehead. Weiss smiled similarly in response before laying her head down against her shoulder. "She... She was wrong right?" asked Weiss. Neo squeezed her arms tighter around Weiss' form as her response. Sometimes it was hard to gauge what Neo was trying to tell her but she believed that in this case she was saying that Winter was in fact wrong about her. Weiss wanted to believe that Neo was right, she needed to.

Outside of the room Yang watched as Blake appeared from around the corner. Yang moved to approach her as they stood to a stop before one another. "Found Weiss yet?" asked Blake.

Yang nodded in response, "Yeah, she's with Neo though" she answered as she pointed over her shoulder with her thumb towards the door.

"You think it's a good idea to leave them alone together?" asked the Faunus with slight concern in her expression.

"Well... I dunno, I went in and looked at them... It's kinda hard to suggest but I think Neo actually..." answered the blonde as her voice trailed off from the words she was about to say.

Blake glanced over to the door before back at Yang, "That's a little hard to believe" she answered.

"I know but... It seems to be helping Weiss for now. So I thought I'd just stick around until they come out" replied Yang.

Heavy footsteps were coming from behind Yang as Blake's attention was drawn to the source. Yang turned as the General stood behind her. "Xiao Long, good to see you up and about so soon" answered the man. He was accompanied by a single Atlesian Knight and a doctor, in his hand was a large grey briefcase.

"Oh uh, General Ironwood" answered Yang as she paused for a moment before raising her hand to her head in a sloppy salute. Blake sighed silently from behind her partner as the General smirked in amusement.

"At ease, just passing through to see Schnee" he answered, gesturing to the briefcase in hand as he raised it slightly. Yang looked down to the case as she lowered her arm.

"Is that her hand?" she asked.

"Would you like to see it?" asked the General in response as he also looked down to the case.

Yang narrowed her eyes at the case in thought before looking up to the General and nodding, "Sure. By the way, Winter's kinda in a bad mood so you might wanna hold off for a while or something" she replied.

"She is? Well, I've dealt with worse" he answered before bringing up the briefcase into his arms, opening it up to show the two in front of him. Inside was a white metallic hand with a short sleeve, sleek in design and with the Schnee emblem in a light blue colour upon the back of the hand itself. "It's a rather practical design so I'm sure she'll appreciate it" he added as the two looked upon it.

"How hard can she punch with it?" asked Yang.

The General chuckled lightly, "Only as hard as she already could, It's just a hand after all" he answered before closing the briefcase and lowering it to his side once more. "That brings me to ask however, given any thought to my proposition?" he asked.

"Uhh... Yeah, actually. I came up with a decision but I think it might have to wait for a bit" replied Yang.

"Schnee agreed? Colour me surprised" answered the General, quickly piecing together what Yang's answer was in his mind from what he had learnt already during their short conversation.

"Uh... Yeah I guess but I don't want to really talk to her about it until she's you know... _Chill_..." said yang, briefly glancing behind her down the hallway and turning back to the General. Blake gave her partner a disapproving look as a result of the pun.

"In that case keep me updated, we're working on some prototypes so altering one into an arm for you shouldn't be too much of an issue" he answered, completely missing the pun.

Yang smiled and nodded before stepping aside with Blake for the man to pass. "Will do, good luck with Winter" she said as she waved at the General.

"I'll be fine" smirked the General as he walked by the two, the doctor following him. Both Blake and Yang looked to the Atlesian Knight which stood still as it seemed to pause before finally kicking into action and walking after the General.

"Yang" came Blake's voice as Yang looked to her partner.

"Yeah?" asked the blonde in response. The Faunus folded her arms casually before she spoke.

"You should go take care of that mark like you said you would, I'll keep an eye on these two" answered Blake.

Yang smirked and approached her partner, planting a kiss upon her cheek. "You'll be okay with them?" she asked.

Blake's golden eyes lingered on Yang as she smiled softly in response. "I'm not about to run in and kick Neo in the back of the head if that's what you're worried about" she answered.

"Yeah but you might" grinned Yang.

The Faunus sighed and leaned in to return a kiss upon Yang's lips. They parted briefly before a second quickly occurred. Blake pulled away afterwards only to have Yang advance slightly towards her. "Ugh, go already, you're so needy" smirked Blake as she idly pushed her hand into the blonde's shoulder.

"Fine" groaned Yang, "I'll remember you rejected my passionate, sweet and unconditional love you know" she answered a she turned to start walking down the hall.

"Please, you'll forget about it before I do" called Blake as she watched her go. Yang raised her hand up behind her back in a wave as she pressed on.

Her body was starting to ache slightly but she refused to spend another day laying down and being useless. She turned a corner and made her way towards a room that she had in mind. Blake had been the one to suggest this idea to her and she had agreed. Honestly she had forgotten all about the mark on her neck, Neo's name. But Blake was forever reminded of it, every time she looked upon her it was there, a blemish on something otherwise perfect in her eyes. Yang was unsure wherever now was a good time to start removing it with the state that Neo was in, but she kept telling herself that she didn't care how Neo felt about it. She forced it on her in the first place after all.

She stopped before a door and knocked upon the glass window. After a few seconds the door opened as a nurse greeted Yang. "Ah, Miss Xiao Long. I hadn't expected to see you so soon, are you ready to begin the procedure?" she asked.

Yang nodded with a smile, "Sure am. Where do you want me?" she asked as she entered the room.

"Just take a seat over there would you?" asked the nurse, pointing to a comfy looking chair with leather padding as she closed the door behind her.

The blonde hopped herself up onto the seat and leaned back in it, resting her arm upon the armrest as she glanced around the room. It was rather small and full of medical equipment. "So how does it work?" she asked.

The nurse picked up a device from a table besides her, it looked like some sort of advanced laser pen, bulkier in stature and with various buttons. "It's a laser, what it essentially does is break up the ink in your skin into smaller particles that your immune system will then destroy" she answered as she pointed the laser down at the table and pressed down on a button. A light flashed onto the table repeatedly as multiple clicks from the device were heard.

"Does it hurt?" asked Yang as she looked to the device.

The nurse took a seat besides her and brushed back Yang's golden hair to reveal the tattoo upon her neck, Neo's name in bold letters. "I heard it can be uncomfortable after an extended procedure but your tattoo shouldn't be too difficult to take care of. You may also need multiple sessions depending on how deep the ink is" answered the nurse. "Are you ready?" she asked.

Yang breathed a sigh, "As ready as I will be" she answered as the nurse brought the device closer to her neck.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

The night was silent with not an object out of place. The lights shined between the slits of the blindfolds over the window and thus provided little visibility in the dark room. Winter slept soundly in her bed, her quilt flat and with barely a crease as it covered her form. Her breath was one of the very few sounds that melded into the ambience alongside the heart monitor. It was a perfectly normal night.

The sound of the heart monitor was accompanied by another stray sound, one that didn't belong. After each beep a shadow loomed closer towards her bed, making use of the sound to mask its own steps. The thin beams of light that escaped in through the blinds patterned the figure as they grew to a halt besides the bed. Mismatched eyes looked down in an uncaring manner towards the woman that slept as the light reflected off of a thin, sharp piece of metal.

Often did impulse control Neo, favouring the thoughts that came quickly to her. Most of the time she would not question them and simply act, such was her blunt nature. But on the sparse occasions she did stop to think... The tip of her thin blade was pointed down towards Winter's chest. A single thrust and her problems would be gone. She could keep Weiss to herself.

Her eyes narrowed as hesitation struck her. This woman sought to destroy what she had, something she was unable to forgive. It was an act of violence, a declaration of war. Weiss belonged to her now, no one else. She raised the blade higher in preparation.

Weiss, however, was riddled with emotion and held a sense of justice that came basic to most people. To her family seemed important despite the way they treated her. For Neo it was different, she never learned to love her own family and so the concept was lost on her. But her ways weren't the ones that others followed nor understood. Her actions here would only hurt Weiss, even if it was to her benefit. Such a fickle thing, family.

For now her impulses would be ignored. She liked Weiss. She liked the comfort of her arms wrapped tightly around her form, she liked the taste of her lips and the rush of heat that flowed through her body when they kissed. She wanted to keep her, but that came with other responsibilities. She came to understand that simply having her was not a good way to make sure she wouldn't leave, she needed to keep her happy and see to her desires and needs.

The idea of love was mostly alien to Neo, or at least her own perception of it was skewed. She realised she had been growing more attached to the heiress however, almost as if some part of her was depending upon the girl. She believed that Weiss loved her though, how could she not? She accepted most of her advances and sought her for comfort. That would surely be good enough to be called love, and if not, what was it? Her expression twisted with confusion as she lowered her blade slightly.

Killing Winter would, for a reason she couldn't fathom, upset Weiss. And Weiss being upset meant she was spending more time crying and less time loving her. Not only that however, Neo didn't want to see her cry. When she cried, she grew upset herself. It was an awkward experience and she didn't much enjoy it but even when she was sad the mere presence of Weiss lifted her spirits. Was that love?

The heart monitor continued its rhythmic beating as Neo took a step back to match it. She was unsure what was going to happen to herself and Weiss if they continued to ignore Winter's demands that they separate, but what could she even do except yell at them? The woman was stuck in a bed and far too weak to prove a real threat. She continued with her steps back as she quietly sheathed her blade, the lights coming from the blinds soon lost her as she disappeared into the darker parts of the room. A slit of light appeared in the shadows as the door opened slightly only to close a second later.

* * *

Her sensitive ears could pick up distant footsteps behind corners within the hallway but she knew it was likely more staff simply going about their jobs. She sighed as her golden eyes glanced down at the selection of choices upon the machine. Her slender finger pushed upon one of the buttons gently as the machine began making an assortment of sounds. Her ears twitched beneath her bow as her eyes casually glanced to her left. Just another empty hall. She hadn't met many other patients in the hospital but she was sure they were actually here, otherwise they wouldn't have had to have switched rooms after all.

A scent stung her nostrils as her eyes narrowed back to the machine and the drink it was dispensing. She hated coffee and unfortunately for her Yang loved it. She said it was something about how it just hits you but any time Blake had tried the beverage she immediately had to spit it back out. It was still late in the night and her partner had asked her to go and get her some decaf. It was only tonight that the Faunus learned the difference between it and an actual cup of coffee. Apparently decaf was exactly the same without the _buzz_. Why somebody would remove the only advantage to coffee was beyond Blake.

She picked up the warm foam cup in her hand as she turned and began making her way back to Yang's room. Along the way she paused outside of Winter's door. She had always had an odd relationship with the woman, she knew that she was certainly good at what she does but personality wise she left much to be desired. She recalled the time Winter had stated her distaste for the relationship she shared with Yang, this was one of the many things that soured her opinion of her. Even if she didn't actually mean it.

But the way she had seen her react earlier to both Weiss and Neo... Blake narrowed her eyes at the door, she could understand treating Neo like that, but to have made Weiss run off in tears... She turned her attention away from the door as she continued on down the hall. She saw another member of staff passing by her and she smiled politely in passing as they nodded back. Finally she reached the door to Yang's room, reaching her hand forward to push it open. Inside Yang was laying down upon her bed with her arm behind her head. Her lilac eyes glanced towards Blake. Even now every look the blonde gave her made her heart flutter, as if she was meeting her for the first time again.

She couldn't imagine what she would have done if Yang hadn't chased her down. Maybe eventually she would have gained the courage to seek her out herself? She knew she lived in patch and it was a small island, finding someone with such a vibrant personality as Yang would have been easy. But she was happy the way things turned out, happy that she could be with her. "You're like a vampire waiting for permission" came Yang's voice as she watched Blake stand aimlessly in the doorway.

The Faunus seemed confused at first before looking down at her feet. She smiled and shook her head as she entered the room, closing the door behind herself. "I'd be a pretty terrible one, aren't they suppose to seduce you to get you to invite them in?" she asked as she approached the bed, placing the hot beverage upon the table besides it as Yang shifted herself into a seated position.

Yang narrowed her eyes mischievously with a smile as she spoke, "I dunno, all you had to do was stand there" she answered as she reached her hand for the cup of decaf, the foam material was warm to the touch.

Blake paused before offering Yang a sly smirk in return as she sat down on the side of the bed besides her. "So you're seduced, are you?" she asked, idly brushing a hand through her dark hair.

"Ain't I always?" asked Yang in response as she brought her cup to her lips. As she made to drink the hot beverage she found that Blake had grabbed it, stopping her from doing so as she pulled the cup back down from her mouth. Yang looked up to question the action but quickly found that her lips had come into contact with her partner's. She was mildly surprised at the action but quickly gave in to the kiss as she closed her eyes and pressed back against her.

Their lips parted as their eyes opened once more, lilac locking to gold. "I just wanted to take the chance to kiss you now before you drink that" spoke Blake in a soft voice as her slender finger pointed down to Yang's cup of decaf. Her lilac eyes followed the gesture before she chuckled softly.

"You really saying you won't kiss me if I drink it?" she asked in response as she leaned her face in closer with a daring grin.

Blake's gaze shifted into that of a seductive one as her lips brushed softly against Yang's. "How about you put it down so we don't find out?" she purred as her eyes remained locked intensely upon her girlfriend's.

"Oh yeah...?" smirked Yang as she raised a brow suggestively.

"Yeah..." whispered Blake, readying herself to kiss her once more. Heat raised up towards her face accompanied by a scent that stung her nose. She reclined and looked to see Yang had abruptly started drinking her decaf, all in one go as she leaned her head back. "Ugh, Yang!" pouted Blake as she crossed her arms.

Yang brought the cup down, it was now empty as she burst into laughter, pointing it at the Faunus. "Your face! I couldn't resist, it was perfect!" she laughed.

"The worst!" yelled Blake in response as she slapped the empty foam cup from her hand, it clattered harmlessly against the floor.

The blonde's laughter barely ceased as she held a hand to her own chest in mock impersonation. "Oh look at me, I'm Blake, I read smutty novels, I'm romantic" she chuckled.

"We better have a soft, loving moment that you don't ruin one day" sighed Blake as she smiled gently up at Yang, she couldn't fault her for the fun side of her she fell in love with. Even if it did aggravate her sometimes.

"Like one of the ones in your books? I like the one with the maid and the princess" answered Yang as she stretched her arm behind her head.

The ever keen eyes of the Faunus glanced down at Yang's chest beneath her tank top as she stretched. It was often a hard thing to keep her gaze away from it normally, never mind when she seemed to be intentionally displaying it. Her eyes darted back up to her face as she blushed softly, "Where did you find that? I lost it-..." she paused as she came to the realization.

"Chapter twenty three is a personal favourite" winked Yang, she noticed where the wandering eyes of her partner had ventured to but didn't at all mind it. They were a couple after all and she was comfortable with it.

Blake's mind was alight with new ideas all of a sudden as she awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck with her hand, "R- Really?" she asked as her eyes glanced aside.

"Why, is it yours too?" teased Yang as she prodded her finger against Blake's cheek.

The Faunus swatted at her hand as she turned her attention to her once more. "We're changing topic" she stated.

"We are? Okay then. Weiss and Neo" nodded Yang as she lowered her arm to her side.

Blake sighed softly, "You want to get into that now?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure, why not? Weiss is our friend so we gotta think about her a lot and stuff" answered Yang, eyes briefly glancing towards the door of her room.

"Well... Anything in specific about them both...?" responded Blake.

Yang pondered upon the topic for a second before her expression turned away from her cheery one. "Do you think Weiss is gonna be okay? With her?" she asked.

Blake frowned, "I want to think she will be... But we don't know Neo. It's true that she seems to be treating her well but what if Weiss is hiding it from us? Does she seem like the type to do that to you?" she asked in response, giving the blonde a questioning look.

"I don't think so. She was always telling us to be more open to each other back in Beacon remember? You especially. So long as we don't go near any abandoned cabins in the forest she should be fine" answered Yang.

"That's an awful thing to joke about" answered Blake with a saddened look.

Yang gave a sigh, "Just trying to make things less... That" she answered, eyes glancing down to the bed for a moment. They looked back up towards Blake, "What about Winter? How do you think this is all gonna work? She clearly hates them being together" she spoke.

"She's not the only one" answered Blake.

"I get that, sure, but it's not up to us. If Weiss wants to date the only other person in existence that's the same height as her, that's her choice. I'm just worried what her sister is gonna do about it if they stick together" replied Yang.

Blake paused, "She'll probably try to force them apart" she answered.

"But if Weiss doesn't want that..." began Yang as she frowned.

Blake's eyes sharpened with suspicion, "Wait..." she spoke, pausing in consideration. Yang looked at her in a fashion that told her she was right about what she was thinking. "Yang, we can't-..." Blake halted herself.

"See...?" replied Yang as Blake came to the realization. "No matter what happens we stick together. We stick to our team... And if Weiss wants to stay with Neo then that means..." she paused.

"...That means we pick her side over Winter's..." answered the Faunus. The choice was simple, Weiss was one of their closest friends and while Winter had earned herself a spot as a friend also, she did not outclass Weiss in priority.

"We need to support her, no matter what she chooses to do. So long as, you know, it's not insane" answered Yang.

"Some people might consider dating Neo insane" added Blake with an unsure look.

She wasn't wrong. "Ehhh... Still..." responded Yang. "If it comes down to it, we know what we're doing. That's all that matters for now right?" she asked. Blake nodded to her in response.

Her golden eyes caught sight of her neck and the faded tattoo. "That's coming along nicely" commented Blake as her hand reached to her neck, fingers touching upon it.

"Oh right, yeah" replied Yang as her lilac eyes glanced down despite the fact she couldn't see it herself. "The nurse said it'll take two more treatments before it's gone, but she said it'll show up if I work on my tan" she answered.

"I guess keeping you indoors forever is out of the question?" asked Blake. Her eyes turned back to Yang's and they locked together once more as the two paused.

The blonde smirked at the Faunus as she leaned her face closer. "I won't complain if you keep me busy enough" she spoke in a sultry tone.

Blake's otherwise pale cheeks took on a red tint once more as she tilted her head slightly at her partner. "What would that involve?" she asked as she bit her lip.

Yang chuckled softly, "Come closer and I'll show you..." she whispered as her eyes closed slowly.

"I've always liked the practical approach..." spoke Blake in return as she leaned her face in closer. She closed her eyes as she felt Yang's hand reach around the back of her neck, tugging her towards herself. Their lips met as Yang instantly opened her mouth to deepen the kiss quickly. After a second or two Blake opened her eyes in protest as she moaned in disagreement. She struggled to pull back until Yang let her do so after another few seconds. As they parted the blonde once more burst into laughter as Blake leaned away suddenly with a cringing expression. "Ugh- Yang! Not again!" she exclaimed, having been fooled into kissing Yang after she had drank her decaf.

"Like you care what I taste like" laughed Yang as she leaned back against the headrest of her bed, one arm folded behind her head. Teasing Blake alone was entertaining enough for the days in this place to fly by.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Two days had passed and Yang found herself staring out at the city from a balcony in the hospital. It was the first time she had been outside since she arrived and so the fresh air was welcomed as she drew it into her lungs with a deep breath. She had found that the hospital was a single section of one of the large spire-like towers of the city, the hospital itself was around half way up the building. Her eyes glanced down to the street as she leaned on the banister in front of herself. The people below were like black dots amidst the lightly snow covered pavements. The sky above was clear and it was around noon with the sun shining down upon the metropolis.

Few things had passed in the last two days, the first being that she had approached Winter about the arm she said she would pay for. The reaction she got from the woman was not what she expected however. She seemed uncaring and cold, her voice flat. She agreed to pay for the new arm but she showed no opinion upon Yang's choice, as if it didn't even matter to her. Ever since Winter had spoken to Weiss about Neo she had been like that, and Weiss had never visited her since. So now Yang waited for the General's arrival, soon she may even be able to leave this place and search for Ruby.

Though that was another matter. She had attempted to call Taiyang but she had received no response, it was although he had switched his scroll off or had no connection. It worried her, not being able to know how he was progressing in his search, not being able to know if he was okay. As a result she wished to return to Patch as soon as she could to pick up on where he said his trail would start, it surely led him somewhere and so hopefully it would do the same for her.

Weiss had been keeping mostly to Neo, but on the occasions she visited Yang she could see that she was improving emotionally from the wreck that Winter had left her in. Neo would often accompany her but she herself had grown more distant to both Yang and Blake. Sometimes she wouldn't even look at them, which was odd, especially when considering Yang. But at least it looked although Neo was treating Weiss with some respect and care.

Blake had been as she always had since they entered Atlas. She was always nearby, always supporting and always loving. There was little Yang could not say to her as by now she trusted her completely, not that there was any doubt to begin with.

As if she could sense she was being thought about her voice could be heard from behind her. "Yang, he's here" spoke Blake softly.

Yang turned to face her. Blake was standing at the entrance to the balcony, leaning against the doorway with her arms folded across her chest. "The General?" asked Yang as she made to follow her partner.

"Who else?" answered Blake as she led the two back into the hospital. They soon found themselves walking through its many corridors once again.

"Does he have it? That was quicker than I thought it would be. But I guess he did say he had a few prototypes or something laying around" spoke Yang as she turned a corner after the Faunus.

"He has a big suitcase again, so probably. What do you think it will look like?" asked Blake in turn.

Yang pondered briefly and recalled some of the General's words to her. "Well, an arm. Like a proper one" she answered.

"That's going to look strange in a suitcase" replied Blake. They quickly arrived at the door to Yang's room, it was open and inside stood the General.

The man turned his attention towards the two and nodded in greeting, "Xiao Long, Belladonna" he spoke. Upon Yang's bed was a large grey suitcase, larger than the one that had been used to transport Winter's new hand.

Yang's lilac eyes shifted towards the suitcase as she entered the room, "Hey" she greeted plainly as she looked back to the General. Blake remained silent as she shadowed Yang's footsteps.

"I trust you know what this is?" asked the General as he gestured to the suitcase, once more drawing Yang's attention towards it.

"I got a good idea..." nodded Yang.

"Well in that case let's not beat around the bush" spoke the General as he turned to face it. He reached his gloved hand down towards the suitcase as he undid the clips. The case was opened to reveal inside, well, an arm. It looked as real as any other.

"Woah... Blake you were right, that's pretty creepy..." answered Yang as she leaned down to look at it. "Can I touch it?" she asked, eyes glancing back up towards the General. He gave a single nod with a proud smirk as Yang returned her attention to the arm. With her index finger she prodded at it. The texture surprised her as she withdrew her finger. It felt... real, like skin. She prodded it once more as her finger pushed in against it, it was soft and even felt warm. "This is... crazy" grinned Yang as she continued to prod it. Blake approached at her side and titled her head at the arm curiously.

"I thought you'd like it. Of course we have some things to take care of before we can apply it to you. First being a socket for it, meaning we'll need to permanently attach a segment to your arm. You'll need surgery for that, the chip too" he answered, tapping the metallic chip above his brow in reference.

"It's safe?" asked Blake with slight concern upon her features as she stood up straight, addressing the General.

"Any surgery involving the brain usually has some risk involved, but this isn't the first time we've done it and we have become exceedingly adept at the task. I can assure you everything will go just as planned. The arm itself will be child's play" he answered.

"Sweet, so when do we start?" asked Yang as she looked back to the man.

The General raised his arms in a questioning manner, "When do you want to?" he asked. "My team is prepared and ready, you need only say when" he answered.

"Tomorrow then?" asked Yang once more.

"Yang, you should probably think about this a bit more" replied Blake with a frown.

"She's right, it's still a decision not to be made lightly-" the General spoke before pausing himself. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his scroll as he looked upon the screen. "Forgive me ladies, I need to take this" he spoke with eyes narrowed upon his scroll.

"Oh, sure, take your time. I'll just keep poking this arm" answered Yang as she nodded, turning her attention back to the prosthetic. The General thanked them both with a nod as he made his way towards the door.

"Yang it's not a toy" sighed Blake.

"Come on, touch it. Touch it!" chuckled Yang as she urged Blake, grabbing her hand. The General closed the door behind himself to take his call.

He glanced behind him at the door as his blue eyes turned back to the scroll. He brought it up to his ear as he answered. "Mr Schnee..." he greeted.

"James" came the bold response from the other end of the scroll. The General clenched his jaw in annoyance.

"Did you need something?" he asked in return.

"Yes as a matter of fact, my daughter" answered Mr Schnee.

The General sighed audibly, "I told you that Winter is under my jurisdiction" he answered.

"Do not take me for a fool James, I know that you have Weiss. My men reported seeing her enter your private hospital" replied Mr Schnee.

"Then your men were mistaken" stated the General, his brow furrowing.

"Continue traipsing around this matter General, it will not serve you well" came the response, the man's tone growing deeper.

The General paused as he glanced down one of the hallways, "Be careful where you toss your empty threats" he warned.

"Systems been lagging lately, James?" asked Mr Schnee.

"That was you, was it? You realise I could have you arrested for tampering with Atlas military property don't you?" replied the General.

"Tampering? The Schnee Dust Company designed those machines, their systems are simply being updated" answered Mr Schnee.

The General grit his teeth before responding, "Your updates are riddled with faults in that case, it would be best for my own technicians to see to their systems from here on. I'm sure you could agree that is a reasonable solution" he responded.

"You needn't worry, my own men are already working on fixing the errors made with the last system updates. They will all be..." he paused, "fully operational within the next twenty four hours..." came the reply, his voice putting emphasis upon his final sentence.

Silence drew over the conversation between the two. "Are you really going to bring it down to this?" asked the General.

"Atlas was known by another name once, who's to say it can't change again... You know what I want. Twenty four hours General, or we face another civil war" responded Mr Schnee before he hung up.

The General looked down to his scroll, his gloved hand tensing around it. He glanced around before pocketing it and breathing a sigh. He rubbed his eyes with finger and thumb before entering Yang's room once more. "Sorry about that, business call" he answered.

Yang and Blake both looked back to him, "Nothing serious I hope" spoke Yang.

"Debatable. Something did come up however. You need to undergo the surgery within the next twenty four hours or not at all. It's completely out of my control" he spoke.

Blake seemed a little shocked at his words but Yang took to them well. "Awesome, I'm ready whenever" she answered.

"Yang-" came Blake's voice.

"Pfft, stop worrying Blakey" replied Yang as she smiled to the Faunus, hand patting upon her shoulder. "I'll be fine" she added. Blake didn't look convinced as she frowned.

"In that case an escort will arrive for you soon. Until then, try and take it easy" spoke the General as he approached the suitcase, closing it and picking it up into his hands.

"Thanks again by the way, I mean it" spoke Yang in a more sincere tone.

The General offered a half smile to her, "You're welcome" he nodded before swiftly departing the room.

After a few seconds Blake turned her eyes to Yang, "Did he seem like... He was in a rush just now?" she asked.

"Well you heard him right? Business stuff" replied Yang as she sat down upon the edge of her bed.

* * *

Later in the day the sun had long since vanished from Atlas once again. There was now only the lights from outside and the moon. Weiss was in a bed, the lights were off and she rested her head upon Neo's chest. Her eyes were wide open as she stared out the unobstructed window. She could feel a hand tangled in her silver white hair, gently stroking her. Winter's words still plagued her thoughts. The way she treated her, the way she spoke to her. It was like some sick imitation of their father and it hurt her to view her sister in the same light as him. Her hand slowly moved to place itself upon Neo's bare arm, squeezing softly.

Ever since the group had been moved from the larger room Weiss had spent her nights in Neo's. At first she simply slept in the chair but after Winter had scolded her she turned to sleeping in the same bed as her partner for comfort. Even now Neo granted her a sense of safety, a sense of protection. She felt Neo's arm squeeze around her form reassuringly. There were seldom any words between the two but her actions spoke loud enough. She could feel their legs brush against one another beneath the quilt along with the warmth that radiated from her body.

Weiss raised her head slightly to look up at her face. Neo was watching her silently and offering a weak smile to her in response. The two of them had decided to stay together despite the words of the others. They found solace in one another and that was all they needed. The heiress leaned her face closer as she pressed a kiss down upon Neo's lips. She could feel her hand stroke upon her bare back, fingers tracing up her spine and sending shivers through her body as the kiss was deepened. As usual Neo was ever-eager to return the kiss, her tongue promptly dancing with her own. Weiss had grown used to the sickly sweet taste now, it had become something she craved as she felt herself being rolled over. Neo moved herself atop the heiress before finally parting from the kiss with a silent sigh.

Weiss smiled back up at Neo who planted kiss after kiss against her jawline, moving down to her neck as she nipped and licked at it passionately. Weiss tilted her head back as she turned to look out the window. She understood their relationship was perhaps more physical than it ought to be, but what alternative was there for Neo to demonstrate her affection to her? She winced slightly as she felt her hand grope at her chest through her bra and her teeth graze across the pale skin of her neck. If Weiss was to criticize Neo's behaviour it would be for her to perhaps perform more gently. Weiss was a delicate girl after all.

"N- Neo..." spoke Weiss as the person in question moved her lips to peck at her cheek lovingly, her attention now upon her voice. "I think... When Yang is ready... We should leave..." she answered. Neo halted her actions completely as she tilted her head down at the heiress curiously, questioning her words with suspiciously narrowed eyes. Weiss turned her ice blue gaze back to her and noticed her expression. "I-... I mean to leave without Winter. But I want Yang and Blake to come with us" she answered with a slight frown at the thought of fleeing from her sister. "Do... Do you think that's something you could agree to? I know you don't really like Blake that much..." continued Weiss.

Neo appeared to ponder the question in her thoughts as she stared down at Weiss. Eventually she gave a hesitant nod down at her partner.

A smile appeared on Weiss' features once more, "Thank you Neo" she spoke as her slender fingers moved beneath her chin, gesturing for her to bring her face closer. Neo did as instructed as Weiss pulled the two back into another kiss. After a few seconds they parted again, but Weiss had caught onto something. From Neo's actions alone she was able to discern how she was feeling, and her previous eagerness was lacking all of a sudden. "You're not fond of the idea, are you?" she asked.

In response Neo frowned and tilted her head both ways in an unsure manner.

"You don't know how to feel about it?" asked Weiss. She received a nod in response. "Well... We'll get to leave the hospital, we'll be with friends, we can travel together. We can even go find Ruby" spoke Weiss as she tried to list the better reasons for leaving. Towards the end of her sentence Neo's eyes locked firmly onto her own. With a short pause she smiled down at the heiress and nodded. "See? It'll be... It'll be fun" nodded Weiss. She gave out a soft yelp as Neo pressed her lips back down upon her, her fiery passion seemingly renewed as her hand groped again at her chest after deftly slipping under her bra. Weiss' eyes widened as her blush grew stronger. For Neo to be touching her so directly, it was the first time she had done so.

But she moaned in soft pleasure as her eyes closed in delight at the attention she was receiving. Neo's mouth pressed down harder upon hers as her hand fondled at her body. Weiss' eyes shot open once more as she felt Neo press her leg between her thighs with intent. The heiress moved her hands to push back against Neo's shoulders but she halted herself as her partner began to rub her leg against her in a motion. Weiss knew exactly what was happening and she knew she should probably stop it, she wanted to take things slow after all. But with Neo's tongue in her mouth, her hand upon her chest, her leg between her thighs.

She didn't want it to stop. Her expression softened and turned into pleasure, eyes gently closing once more as she allowed Neo to do as she wanted. It was how she demonstrated her love, surely.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

At first she could hear a high pitched ringing sound. She could feel a throbbing pain, it felt like it was just behind her right eye, pulsing. She quickly discovered that she had a headache and she groaned weakly as a result. Her eyes felt heavy and she struggled to open them. Warmth pressed against her cheek, the contact doing some use in distracting her from the numbing pain. Lilac eyes crept open to see the blurred image of Blake's face above her, looking down with worry, her hand pressed softly against the side of her face. She saw her lips move but heard nothing, just the ringing in her head.

She tried to lift her left arm to wipe at her eyes but before she could manage Blake had softly grasped her wrist and pressed it back down against the bed. She then brought her own hand towards her face as she performed the action for her. Her vision became less blurred as she blinked afterwards, Blake's face becoming clearer to her. "Bla- Ah-..." groaned Yang as she spoke, her own voice deafening to her as she closed her eyes in discomfort. When she opened them again she saw that the Faunus was frowning, she leaned down to place a soft and brief kiss against her lips before looking elsewhere. Something had caught her attention and her eyes seemed to track whatever it was.

Yang attempted to shift her eyes to follow Blake's but when she tried she felt them ache, forcing her to look straight ahead again. A figure was coming into view, a man Yang did not recognize but his uniform told her that he was another doctor. There was something in his hand. Blake shifted aside as the man came closer, the object in hand disappearing from Yang's view. Something sharp poked at her right arm. The man withdrew as Blake came back to her side, hand once more softly brushing her cheek in comfort. The texture of her hand was more noticeable this time and the pain in her head was started to dissipate as her vision cleared further. The ringing was slowly fading away as sound returned to her.

"Yang?" came Blake's gentle voice. "Can you hear me?" she asked again.

"Ugh... I hear you..." replied Yang in a groggy tone.

To this alone the Faunus smiled, it was progress at least. "How are you feeling?" she asked, Yang noticed that her eyes briefly peered to her forehead before back down at her.

Lilac eyes glanced left and right with more ease now, she could feel herself improving. Whatever she was injected with was doing the trick. "Not... Great..." she answered, looking back into Blake's eyes.

"They said you're going to feel rough for a while after waking up, but you should be better in a few hours. Your body just needs to adjust first" replied Blake.

"It's... Heavy..." said Yang, eyes dropping down to her right side, she couldn't see it yet. Blake reached her hand out towards the part of her arm that was real, fingers softly pressing against it.

"It weighs the same as your other arm... You're just not used to it any more, but it'll get easier" said the Faunus as her fingers trailed down to the artificial section, there was only a slight difference in the texture between genuine and fabricated skin. Yang could feel her touch disappear as it left the part of her that still had those senses.

She slowly brought up her left hand once more, bringing it to her forehead. Blake watched as her fingers reached towards the area just above her right brow. She quickly withdrew them when she felt the cold metal. "Nngh... That's sore..." she said, wincing slightly as she touched the metallic chip.

Blake looked to the device, it was similar to the General's but smaller in scale, but it was not any less noticeable as a result. "You probably shouldn't touch it" replied Blake with a half-smile.

Yang forced a smile in return, "So... How does it look?" she asked, eyes trying to look down to where her right arm was.

"Like... Like you" answered Blake, her smile becoming fuller.

"Is the General gonna help me figure out how to use it...?" continued Yang.

"I think so, he said he had something else he needed to do first though. He had some of his soldiers with him too" replied Blake.

Yang raised a brow, "Is he worried about something...?" she asked once more.

* * *

The General marched down the hall, four guards following behind him. He walked with a sense of purpose, a decision had to be made. Truth be told he didn't need to think about it too much, the answer came logically to him as he approached Neo's room. He raised his left hand as he knocked upon the door, the guards standing idly behind him, securing the hall. After a brief pause the door opened as Neo poked her head from behind it. The General smiled politely at her, "Is Miss Schnee present?" he asked. Neo paused before closing the door. At first the General was confused but following a brief minute it opened again, fully. Stood before him was Weiss, Neo at her side.

"General Ironwood" greeted Weiss as she inclined her head politely.

"Miss Schnee" nodded the General as he held his hand to his chest in similar polite manner. "Might we have a word?" he asked.

Weiss glanced behind the man and towards the soldiers before looking back to him. "Of course" she nodded, taking a few steps back into her room.

"Thank you" responded the General as he entered. Neo's gaze locked onto him in a watchful manner. The man sighed as he looked to Weiss, "It's... Concerning your father. He knows you're here" he began.

An expression of worry carried itself across Weiss' features, "He... He does?" she asked.

The General nodded, "As unfortunate as it sounds, yes. Not only that but he has made demands that I can't ignore" he responded.

"Demands...?" asked Weiss curiously. Neo took a step closer towards her side, hand grasping a hold of hers.

"Yes. To put it plainly, if I do not deliver you to your father he will incite civil war on your behalf. And as much as it pains me to do so I am first obliged to ensure the safety of my people. In this case, it'd be the needs of the many. Atlas can't suffer another war in its own home" spoke the General in a regretful manner. He looked upon Weiss, she seemed frozen with eyes wide and full of fear. "I... I know it's not what you want to hear, but I'm sure you would agree that no single life could be worth the thousands of this city" frowned the man, still Weiss remained frozen. He glanced back and sighed softly before taking a step towards the two. "I am truly sorry Miss Schnee" he spoke as he reached his hand to place it upon her shoulder. "It's the only-" he halted his words as his hand passed through her. Her image shattering along with Neo's before his widening eyes. It took him a second to realise the two had ran. "No!" he yelled as he turned around, the soldiers immediately looking into the room on alert. "Find them, quickly!" urged the General, the soldiers nodded and split up into two groups as they both hurried down the halls. The General rushed out of the room and looked both ways, how long had he been talking to their image? If he could not find Weiss within the next few hours the city of Atlas would be alight with conflict.

He rushed down one of the halls as he came quickly upon Winter's room, bursting through the door. The woman was alarmed as her eyes darted to the man. "General-...?" she began before he spoke.

"Winter! I need you to contact your sister, tell her to come back!" yelled the General as he approached her swiftly.

Winter's eyes narrowed, "What happened...?" she asked.

* * *

"N- Neo!" called Weiss as she was pulled along. The woman in front of her had a firm grip on her hand and refused to let go as she led the two with haste through the hospital. She turned a corner to see two soldiers approaching, they were armed and aimed their rifles at the two as they ran towards them.

"Stop!" yelled one of the soldiers, but they didn't. One looked to the other in an unsure fashion with their rifles aimed.

They weren't going to fire.

Neo narrowed her eyes as she took note of this. Nobody was going to take Weiss from her, _nobody_. She let go of her wrist as she leapt up towards one of the guards, her boot stomping into his face with a punishing strike. The other soldier took aim and hesitated as she leapt from his comrade, bounding towards him with a snapping kick that clashed against the side of his head, sending him to the floor with a thud. Neo landed and looked back to Weiss who took a step back in shock. The shorter woman lunged towards her and grabbed her wrist once more as she pulled her along.

"Neo, we need to stop, this isn't right!" called Weiss as she was led on. Neo seemed to ignore her however, turning another corner and finding a stairwell as the two began heading down. "Neo you heard what he said, if I don't go back people are going to get hurt!" continued Weiss. But again her protests went unheard as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Neo turned a left as she pulled Weiss along and towards the exit of the hospital. With any luck the General had yet to get any reinforcements to lock down the area.

The two reached the doors as Neo slammed her shoulder against it. The doors swung open as a crowed engulfed their vision. The had exited into the central area of the tower, the hospital was simply a section of it after all. Few looks were given to the two as they had burst out from the doors and quickly submerged themselves into the populace. Not long after did two soldiers appear from the hospital, eyes searching the crowd as one of them moved their hand up to their ear.

Neo pushed through the crowd, ensuring she kept a firm grasp on Weiss' wrist. Their height worked to their advantage but anyone close enough would instantly be able to tell who Weiss was. They had only left the tower once before so the most direct route out was not clear to Neo as she did her best to navigate. She pushed herself from the crowd as she now found herself in front of three elevators. Weiss glanced around as she spotted three more soldiers approaching, one pointed at the two as he yelled "Halt!" in a commanding tone. Neo looked to the soldiers and showed no desire to do as they ordered, rushing forward towards one of the elevators. She pulled Weiss inside as the soldiers gave pursuit. The door had started closing as the troops reached it, both Weiss and Neo looking to the entrance in a shocked manner as it was pulled open by a gloved hand. The three soldiers entered the elevator as the door closed behind them. Reaching for the two their images shattered. "Wh- What!?" yelled one of them in confusion as they turned around to see the top floor had been selected, their elevator beginning to ascend. Through the glass they could see into the one besides them as Neo and Weiss entered it. "Damn it!" yelled the soldier as he slammed his fist against the window.

Neo pushed the ground floor button as the elevator began to descend down the side of the building. Weiss was panting as Neo finally let go of her wrist. She looked to her partner before steadying her breath. "N- Neo. Listen to me" began Weiss as Neo glanced away with a frown. She approached her, placing both hands upon her shoulders and turning her to face her directly. "Neo!" yelled Weiss in an attempt to catch her attention. Slowly the mismatched eyes of the shorter woman looked to her. Reflections of light bounced off the windows of the tower behind her outside of the window as they descended further down. "I... I need to go back. General Ironwood was right, I'm not worth the pain that'll be brought upon the people of Atlas. I know you're just trying to protect me... But this is my decision too, and I don't want my home to be at war with itself" answered Weiss.

Once more Neo's frowned deepened as her gaze lowered. She couldn't let Weiss leave her, she had to stay. She needed her.

"Neo... I'm sorry... I can't let you make this choice for me..." frowned Weiss as she also lowered her own gaze. Going back to her father likely meant a return to her sheltered life, meaning she would not be allowed to see Neo again. Her father would not permit her to see friends, never mind a lover, and a woman at that. It would damn the Schnee line if she were unable to produce an heir after all.

She felt Neo's hands reach to hers, taking them into her own as she lowered them between the two. Weiss looked up to see her face, her eyes an ice blue as her lips parted. But it was not to kiss. Her expression strained as her lips moved and produced no sound.

"Neo..." said Weiss softly, the girl was trying to speak and she could only imagine the words she wished to convey.

She continued to struggle, shutting her eyes tight as her lips moved again. Her expression reddened as she tried to force herself to produce the words she so wished to say to her partner. The elevator drew closer towards the ground.

"It's okay Neo... You don't need to..." spoke Weiss, watching her try so desperately only sent pangs of depression into her heart.

Yet she kept trying. Her hands gripped around hers tighter as she opened her eyes, they were starting to glisten as tears began forming. Her mouth opened once more, she had to keep trying. She had to say something to her.

"..."

The numbers above the exit were drawing closer to the ground. If she was going to give up Weiss she would let her know how she felt with words.

"..."

She would let her know what she had taught her through the short time they had been together.

"..."

She needed to hear it...

"...Ah-! ..." emitted a soft sound from her voice as Weiss widened her eyes. Neo herself was equally surprised as she clutched her hands to her throat in pain, her eyes shifting into white.

"N-Neo!?" yelled Weiss with concern in her voice.

The elevator hit the bottom as the doors began to slide open. A shadow blocked the exit but the two were too stunned by what had just occurred. Too stunned to realise the tall mask-wearing figure that stood in their path. Her crimson red eyes glared as her hand reached to the hilt of her blade.

* * *

An armoured vehicle made its way to the mansion upon the hill, the snow softly falling from the sky once more. It was allowed entry through the gates as it made its way to a halt in front of the entrance, the door opening as a butler prepared to meet the guests.

Within the mansion Mr Schnee sat upon his throne-like chair in the grand hall. One of his own personal guards approached him as he lowered himself to speak into his ear, "Sir, they have arrived" he spoke.

"And my daughter?" asked Mr Schnee as he looked up to the guard.

"Accounted for" answered the man.

Mr Schnee sighed, "Send out the payment to that woman again... I only hope she left her in better condition than the last time..."

"Of course sir" nodded the guard as he stood up straight, turning to leave the room.

Suddenly several gunshots became audible, the guard stopped in his tracks as he looked to the door. Mr Schnee stood up from his chair, pulling out his antique silver pistol in preparation. He looked to his forming shield of guards that stood down from the steps that led up to his chair. "What now!?" yelled Mr Schnee as he aimed his pistol towards the large two doors at the opposing end of the hall. The guards all aimed their rifles at the entrance as silence passed over.

Distant and echoing footsteps were approaching the door and soon came to a halt. Mr Schnee narrowed his eyes, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face. He couldn't believe that Weiss would be so bold as to attack him. It was then that the doors burst from their hinges, one flying off to the side while the other launched straight towards the group of guards. Their rifles opened fire at the entrance, bullets lighting the front of the door that came towards them and around the original doorway itself. The lower half of the door slammed against the front line of guards as it launched up and over them, knocking down several of the men. Mr Schnee set his sights, finger on the trigger. As soon as the bottom of the door passed from his aim he fired a dead-shot straight towards the entrance of the room. The bullet passed through it and hit nothing. Nobody was there.

His eyes widened as they followed the door that had flipped over the guards in front of them. There was something on it as it rotated forward. His eyes caught those similar to his own cresting over what used to be the top of the door as it aligned itself. He tried to move his pistol up to take aim at his daughter. Soon she came into full view, she was knelt down on the back of the door the entire time, hidden from everyone as her glyph kept her firmly attached to it. Her blade was already aimed straight at him, his guards didn't even know she was above them. Winter. Icy blue eyes narrowed as her glyph launched her towards her target, the door blasting itself away from her as it smashed into the wall above the entrance. Her silver blade on a deadly course towards her father. His pistol was brought up, aimed towards her.

A loud bang resounded as a splatter of blood painted the floor.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

The bullet grazed her shoulder as the blade of silver sliced into flesh, glancing across the face of her father while tearing from the corner of his mouth and out through his cheek as she passed him. She slid against the floor as she spun herself around, embedding her dagger into the tiled ground as to halt her momentum. Her father stumbled back from the cut, blood coating his jaw and his neck, reaching down and staining the white of his uniform. The guards turned to face the two as their rifles aimed at Winter. Their fingers never squeezed upon the triggers as they saw the condition of their master however.

Mr Schnee brought his hand up to his face in an attempt to staunch the bleeding as he aimed his pistol at Winter, taking steps back as he looked to his men. "What are you doing!? Fire!" he yelled in pain, blood dripping to the floor. The guards looked to one another before lowering their rifles.

Winter knew well their intent, they were still going to get paid if she killed her father and inherited the company. They seemed to prefer the idea of a younger leader. Her icy gaze locked to her father as a large glyph appeared around her. Mr Schnee narrowed his eyes as he fired his antique pistol, the bullet slamming into, and killing, a white Beowulf that had been summoned. It was not alone however as three more joined its assault, lunging down towards the man with claws at the ready.

He raised his bloodied free hand towards the Grimm as a black glyph formed around them, their actions slowing to a near halt as he took aim with his weapon and fired three shots into each of their skulls. The glyph vanished as their bodies fell behind him. He had one more bullet to spend before needing to reload and his daughter knew this.

As he looked back to her he found her already in another glyph-boosted charge, blade ready to pierce his throat. Winter's vision was focused on nothing more. Something appeared in front of her however, another summon. Her blade pierced the neck of the creature, but her haunted eyes looked up to see a familiar face. Looking down at her with a lifeless gaze was her mother, her form pale and ghostly as a result of the summoning.

Mr Schnee extended out his gun-arm to the back of his wife's head. It fired as his arm recoiled from the shot. The bullet passed through her skull and launched itself towards Winter's face. She stumbled suddenly from the shot, struck by the bullet as she fell to the ground with the impaled form of her mother falling over her. The man standing brought his hand back to his face, the blood still pouring from the wound inflicted. He looked to his men in disgust, "How dare you! To think that your loyalty is so easily purchased!" he screamed.

"Father..." came a pained voice. The man's eyes widened as he looked to the corpses besides him. Winter was getting up to her feet, a metallic hand covering her right eye that poured a stream of blood. A ghastly wound that cost her vision. "How quickly can you reload...?" she asked as she stood to her feet, blade clenched in her right hand as she started walking towards him in staggered steps.

Her father trembled at the sight as he quickly brought both his hands to his weapon, he flicked the chamber out to the side as the spent casings fell to the floor in a clatter. He moved his other hand to his pocket as he pulled out two bullets. He only needed one to finish the job. He chambered the first and moved to place the second in, but the blood on his fingers caused it to slip from his grasp. He watched the bullet land upon the floor and gave thought to picking it back up. No, one was enough. He closed the cylinder and looked forward as he extended his arm out to aim. His eyes widened as the silver blade sliced through his wrist, screaming in agony as he stumbled back while clutching at his arm as his hand fell to the ground along with his weapon.

"Shoot her damn you! Shoot her!" he screamed for his men as they watched Winter draw back her blade, lunging it forward and into the chest of the man. He gasped for air as the sharp metal pierced his lung, a spatter of blood escaping his already maimed mouth.

Winter pulled the blade up, forcing her father to stand straight as it remained embedded within him. "You lack form, Father..." she spoke coldly as his groans of agony only grew louder.

He struggled as he gripped the blade of the sword with his hand, opening his glacial eyes as he glared at his daughter. Between breaths of pain he spoke to her in a harsh tone. "To think... I preferred Weiss..." he said, more blood dripping from his mouth. Winter narrowed her eye at his words. "You... You are perfect..." he grinned, the cut upon his mouth only making it the more wider. "I'll... Be sure to... Say hello to your mother..." he spoke, head starting to dip weakly.

"You're not going where she is..." replied Winter as she withdrew her blade roughly, the blood spurting from his chest as he was pulled forward. He passed her as she stared on ahead, his form leaving her peripheral vision as he collapsed to the floor before his throne-like seat. The guards watched on in silence as their former master bled to death upon the floor, his blood pooling beneath him. Slowly Winter looked back over her shoulder before turning fully. Her sword dropped and clattered to the floor as her left metallic hand continued to cover her right eye, dripping with the red liquid that coated the prosthetic, flowing over the symbol of her family. She stepped over towards the chair and turned to face the guards before sitting down upon it.

She sat there upon her new chair, her father at her feet as his blood started to slither down the steps in front of it. She had inherited the legacy of the Schnee family, and much like it was in history, she did it with Schnee blood on her hands. At least this way Weiss would still be free to do as she wanted.

Her eye closed as the pain began to take hold of her. There was no doubt in her mind she would live as her new guards rushed to her aid. This wasn't the life she wanted, but it was the one she would endure for _her_ sake.

* * *

The sound of a blade leaving its sheath drew the attention of the heiress and Neo. Instantly Neo stepped away, pressing her back up against the wall in fear as she looked upon the image of Raven. Her crimson blade was drawn as she took a single step into the elevator that seemed to echo loudly. Weiss looked to Neo as she stepped away from the woman, unsure of who she was. Neo's reaction told her it was a person they certainly didn't want to mess with.

The masked woman turned her attention to Weiss, raising her free hand up towards her face. Neo was frozen with fear as she watched her lunge her open hand forward, it grasped Weiss' face and slammed the back of her head into the window behind her, cracking the glass as her body fell limp to the floor. Neo's eyes blinked into blue, and back into white. She knew she was no match for Raven, knew that it would surely result in her death. But Weiss, this woman she had become so attached to, this woman that in her mind belonged to her.

Raven turned to look at Neo, as if daring her to make a move. She had little to worry about for it seemed she was going to do nothing but stand there and watch. Something blunt struck her in the gut, it came from Weiss' direction and the hit forced her out of the elevator. She looked forward as Neo lunged out of it from a different angle, having used her semblance to strike from Raven's blind spot. The elevator door behind her was closing with Weiss in it.

The area she found herself in was a parking lot, there were few cars and no people. It was rather open however, which could only work in Raven's favour. Noting that the doors were closing the woman attacked. Her blade extending fully as she made a diagonal cut towards Neo who shattered upon impact. The weapon itself carved into the doors of the elevator, the steel rending open like a can and disrupting the operations of the device, preventing it from taking Weiss away from the two.

Neo's blade came in at Raven's flank for a stab but the seasoned huntress was quick and turned to knock the blade aside with the back of her hand before following up with a sweeping uppercut. Neo tried to pull her umbrella into contact with the sword, using it in her off-hand while she held her thin blade in her right. The uppercut carved up the concrete floor before it connected with Neo's umbrella. The force alone sent the smaller girl back, landing on her feet as she so often did. Raven was relentless as she sheathed her sword, quickly pulling it back out as spears of ice erupted from the ground towards Neo who leapt aside. The spikes speared a car behind her, impaling it as its alarm malfunctioned into a slowly fading beep.

The smaller girl moved into a charge, her eyes blinked into red as they mimicked her opponent. Raven narrowed her eyes at the mockery before lunging her blade forward into a stab. It shattered Neo's image as she appeared besides it, another stab repeating the same action and having the same effect. Neo's thin blade came in at another flank, but again it was futile as Raven's own sword met it, sending the smaller woman back again. Each strike Raven delivered was simply too powerful for her to compete against.

Neo landed and looked up to see Raven sheath her blade, the chamber revolving as she switched the dust type she was using. She withdrew her blade and slashed it forward against the ground. In a line towards Neo the concrete blasted up from the floor in a quake, sending both her and chunks of concrete into the air. Raven quickly sheathed her blade as the chamber revolved once. She withdrew the weapon and jabbed it forward into a straight cut, utilizing gravity dust as the rocks in the air were fired forth towards Neo. She tried her best to shield herself from the barrage as she was sent back, the rocks pelting her before falling to the ground. By nothing short of a miracle her aura survived by the skin of its teeth as she staggered to her feet.

Raven was once more in pursuit as Neo fled, moving behind one of the pillars in the parking lot. As she ran around it she heard Raven's weapon as it sheared through the pillar entirely. Neo ducked, the blade narrowly passing over her head as her foe came around the corner. Neo began to realise just how impossible of a task was set before her, she had to come up with a plan as she kept her distance, running towards one of the parked cars as she leapt over it. Not shortly after was it slashed in half down the middle as Raven walked calmly after her.

Neo looked back to see where she was, but she had disappeared from sight. She gasped silently, looking forward again as a pommel came crashing against her jaw, the portal behind Raven closing. Neo crashed against the floor as her aura broke, her eyes shifting into pained white. She looked up and saw Raven's red blade curving into a strike towards her. She leaned her head back as the cut made its way up her cheek. She stumbled back and fell again as she dropped her umbrella, holding her hand to her face in agony as she tried to turn and stand, she had to escape.

Her mouth opened in burning pain as she silently screamed, the blade being stabbed into her leg as she fell back down. Raven was stood behind her, watching with a curious gaze through her mask as she followed her slowly while the girl crawled along the floor in a vain attempt to flee. Tears were trailing down from Neo's eyes, the pain was unbearable. She was crawling towards the slashed entrance of the elevator, she at least had to find a way to save Weiss. The sound of metal scraping along the floor came trailing behind her and to her side. Eventually the red tip of the sword was right in front of her face as Raven came to a halt in her path. Neo looked up to her, gritting her teeth and narrowing her tear-filled eyes.

"Why won't you scream?" came the voice from the masked woman as the tip of her blade pressed itself against her cheek, cutting it lightly. "I've never met somebody who isn't begging me to stop by this point" she spoke, her blade moving away from her face. " _It's annoying"_ she stated, boot stomping down on Neo's head, crushing it against the concrete ground as the mute gave out another silent scream for help. Raven's glare watched her as she applied more pressure, yet still she heard nothing. She removed her boot from the girls head and reached down her free hand to grasp her hair. Harshly she pulled Neo up and swung around, tossing her against the floor as she rolled to a halt in front of the elevator.

Neo had her eyes shut tight as she curled up into a ball on the ground, she wanted the pain to stop. "Neo...?" came a soft voice as she opened her eyes. She could see Weiss through the slashed opening of the elevator, she was awake and tired as she looked through the hole. Raven entered her view and delivered a harsh kick into Neo's gut, causing her to roll over as she clutched at the point of impact. "Neo!" exclaimed Weiss as she noticed what was happening. Raven's eyes glanced to her briefly before back to the girl in front of her.

Right now she didn't care about Weiss, she was already stuck in a prison. She just wanted to break Neo down for being so stubborn. Besides, she had time to waste. Her hand grasped at her neck as she pulled her from the ground, slamming her against a pillar forcefully. "Come on already" spoke Raven in a bored tone.

"Leave her alone!" yelled Weiss as her hands gripped at the broken metal, trying to pry it open in any way she could. Raven completely ignored her as she tilted her head at Neo. The short woman looked over to Weiss, her eyes shifting into blue as she struggled to reach her arm out towards her. Raven's free hand abruptly slammed against the extended arm, only half of it was pressed back against the thin pillar as the arm bent in a way it never should, broken with a sickening snap. Neo tilted her head up in torment as her eyes widened, the tears streaming as she silently screamed. "I said leave her alone!" yelled Weiss. Raven still didn't pay her any attention.

The doors of the elevator burst open, one slamming straight into Raven as she was pushed to the floor and away from Neo who collapsed to the ground. Raven lay beneath the metal door as something heavy slammed down against it, crushing her between it and the concrete beneath her. The door was pulled from her as a large white figure stood over her, its armoured hand grasping her and lifting her from the floor before pulling back and throwing her across the parking lot. She slammed with her back into the side of a car, denting the door as the whole vehicle creaked and tilted up onto its side before falling back down. The large armoured knight stood with its weapon ready in front of Weiss and Neo.

Weiss fell to her knees next to her partner, she was still crying and her eyes were closed in agony, her right arm deformed thanks to her attacker. The heiress looked over to where Raven was, somehow not even her aura had broken as slowly she started to pull herself out of the large dent she made in the car, glass falling from her body as she moved. Weiss stood to her feet and looked for an exit, the large knight she had summoned gently picking up Neo in its hand as it chased after its mistress.

Raven stood and made ready to chase, but she halted as something vibrated. She reached into her pocket and checked her scroll. For some reason she had already been paid for the job she was taking. She was confused as she looked to the direction Weiss had fled in. No matter. She wasn't going to work for free.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

"So what are you going to do with it?" spoke a man's voice, the voice of General Ironwood

"If the Company fell, Atlas would fall after it" replied Winter's voice, tired and weak.

"You could always hand it over to the kingdom" answered the General.

"With all due respect sir, you already hold enough of Atlas" responded Winter.

"You intend to keep it then?" asked the General.

"Yes... I do. Is that something you would disagree with?" came Winter's answer.

There was a pause.

"Not at all, I would be happy to see the SDC within the hands of someone as capable as yourself" he replied.

* * *

Winter sat in the private study of her father, she was at a desk. Her features were lit up by the vibrant screen of the monitor in front of herself. Her fringe as usual draped down over her right eye, but beneath it was a white patch, the cyan logo of the Schnee family upon it. It had been a few hours since she killed her father, and after having been treated of her wounds she sought to familiarize herself with the inner workings of the company as soon as possible.

Her finger clicked through private and classified files as her single icy blue eye scanned over the words she was met with. Within the files she saw private meetings with less than reputable people, she saw names that had been blanked out, multiple savings accounts where money was being transferred to, payments made at seemingly random to others. The more she looked into the secrets of the company the more she grew to despise what her father had turned it into. But not only that, there were files pertaining to Atlas as a whole. From its military to its academy.

Her father was closely connected to the politics of the kingdom and he seemed to document the worst of it. Deals made between other kingdoms, extortion, private conversations between the headmasters of the academies. He had logged it all and it painted the kingdom of Atlas in a very poor light. Further looking through files she found plans detailing the beginnings of a takeover. Her father had been planning to take Atlas for his own for some years now. The machines he made, they all had a fail-safe that would transfer control over to the company. If he wanted he could have taken over every Knight and Paladin in the kingdom. It would have been a massacre.

It looked although he was still building up enough evidence to grant him enough cause in the eyes of the public to dethrone the General however. From what Winter was seeing in some of these files... It defamed the General. Someone she had shown nothing but loyalty was capable of such backhanded negotiations and veiled threats. There was no debate to the fact that Atlas was the strongest of all four kingdoms, but for the General to remind the others of that fact in exchange for getting the deals he wanted...

Winter's eye narrowed, this wasn't the Atlas she served, not the one that had been known to her and the population. She leaned back in the leather chair, glancing down to her metallic hand that was still stained with her own dried blood. She brought her other hand to it as she scratched at the stain with her finger, the dried blood flaking from the metal to reveal the mark of her family beneath it. All this political nonsense tied in with fake smiles and hidden knives, there was no need for it. All she wanted was for herself and her sister to be happy, they would have been better off being born into a normal family far away from Atlas. Instead they were born into a burden of responsibility and duty. What life was that? To be prisoners to their own name? When Winter returned from Vale to rescue her sister from this place she had planned to dismantle the SDC, to completely free herself and Weiss.

But without the SDC Atlas would fall. She had distaste for what she now knew about her homeland but she didn't want to see it crumble either. Handing over the company to the General would have only given him more power. The way she looked at it the SDC was a way to keep him in check, a leash to stop him from doing anything rash. She had learned that the General was a greedy man and if he had the company there would have been nothing to stop him taking the rest of Remnant. Her father likely refused him that chance for the simple fact it would have made the General stronger and harder to overthrow. It seemed that Atlas never ended its first civil war. It was still happening.

Her finger had scratched away all the blood covering the symbol on her prosthetic, the dried blood now blackened the underside of her fingernail. Her eye glanced up at the sound of a knock at the door. She reached her hand to the underside of the desk as she pushed one of several buttons. The door unlocked as an elderly butler walked in, the oldest servant of the mansion. "Klein" greeted Winter, her voice in its usual stern tone.

The butler bowed his head, "Lady Schnee, they found your sister. She is currently being transported along with her companion" he spoke in his croaky voice as he stood up straight.

"Companion...?" muttered Winter. She sighed softly, Neo. "Is Weiss well?" she asked.

"She... Refused to come willingly, I'm told. No force was used but she believes it to be a trap by your recently deceased predecessor" he answered, pausing awkwardly.

"What else?" asked Winter, eye narrowing slightly with suspicion.

"Her... Companion was in poor condition. Stab wound to the left leg, broken right arm, multiple cuts and bruises..." replied the butler.

"Did... My father send anyone after my sister?" asked Winter.

The butler nodded, "Yes, the one he sent after you. While you arrived he saw fit to pay her just before you entered the door. He mistook you for the young lady" he answered.

Winter's eye glanced down to her desk, "Provide her companion what medical assistance she requires when she arrives..." she answered.

"Of course Lady Schnee. Is there anything else I could do for you?" asked the butler.

Her eye glanced back up to the elderly man, "Yes, there are two women I would like escorted to the mansion. They are currently under the General's care" she replied.

"At once" nodded the butler as he turned to leave through the door. Winter looked back down to the monitor that lit up her visage. After a few seconds she noticed the door hadn't been closed as she looked back up to the entrance, the elderly man was looking back at her.

"Is something the matter, Klein?" asked Winter.

The old man paused as if hesitating to speak. He sighed quietly, "Lady Schnee... Am I to assume you are aware of your father's plans?" he asked.

Winter raised a brow at the man, "You knew?" she asked.

"There was little your father kept from me... Including your..." once more he paused. "I am sorry, Lady Schnee... He had me swear not to speak a word of it..."

The woman's expression frowned slightly, he had known who her mother's killer had been since the day she died. "Your... loyalty is forever admirable, Klein. I will not hold you against it if you can show me the same dedication" she spoke, voice softer now.

The butler nodded a final time, "Without question, Lady Schnee" he said before turning to leave the room. The light that came in from the entrance fading as the door closed, leaving Winter to herself once again.

She didn't understand what motivation her father had for killing her mother, and to be perfectly honest she didn't want to know. Whatever it was it would surely only tie into greedy plans and lofty ambitions.

* * *

The city of Atlas was laid out before him, a shining beacon of progress at the top of Remnant. He swirled his glass of scotch in hand as his blue eyes narrowed sharply. The head of the SDC was dead, that was all it should have took. Winter never wanted the position and Weiss was always trying to leave. It should have been easy. He brought the glass to his lips as he took a gulp from the strong beverage. The taste permeated in his mouth as he looked down once more. He was aboard one of his vessels in the sky and from here there was little he did not see.

But it was what others could not see that irritated him.

Winter was smart, strong and independent. But she was no leader and had little patience for business and politics. While a Schnee leading the SDC was something most would not look twice at, the General found many faults in it. With Ozpin gone the guardians that protected Remnant were no more, they were separated and cast to the winds. While divided none could stand against the coming war, so it fell to him. He needed the SDC to reinforce Atlas at little to no expense, it would allow him to field greater armies, create new weapons capable of meeting out death to those that would seek to harm Remnant. Ever since Ozpin vanished he had taken on the burden of the world himself, he had to unite the four kingdoms either through peace or force. With one man at the helm their efforts would be met with greater success.

As it stood now with four separated kingdoms, they would bicker and argue about the course of action to which they should take. Remnant needed one mind, one leader. The General believed that to be himself. But if he could not unite his own Kingdom then he would fall short of his ideals. He wasn't sure how exactly he was going to do it, but he had to take control over the SDC for the good of his people. He brought his arm up as he took another gulp from his glass, the door to the bridge opening behind him as a woman in uniform approached him. "Sir, Winter Schnee would like to schedule a meeting to discuss new terms with the SDC / Atlas collaboration. Would you like to propose a set date?" asked the woman as she brought up her scroll, typing a few words into it.

Already Winter was delving into the world of her father... Perhaps she wasn't so different from him after all. "Three days time, eight thirty, morning" answered the General in a firm tone.

The woman nodded to him, "Yes Sir, I'll have it scheduled now. Preferred form of transport?" she asked.

"Air" replied the General.

"Thank you Sir" nodded the woman again before putting away her scroll, saluting and then leaving the bridge. The man turned back to face the city in front of him. Just what exactly did Winter want to discuss about the terms set between his Kingdom and the SDC? In any case, it might prove favourable for him to take advantage of the fact she was new to the deeper politics that governed them. He took another gulp from his scotch.

* * *

"Where are you taking her!? I demand that you bring her back this second!" came Weiss' yelling voice from behind the door. "You can't keep her from me, do you know who I am!?" she yelled again. Winter locked her gaze on the entrance to the grand hall, she stood alone and waiting. The night had come to Atlas as the moon shined through the large windows that decorated the length of the grand hall, lighting it in a cold blue hue. Finally the doors opened as Weiss stumbled into the room. She immediately turned to try and leave, not having noticed Winter as the door slammed in front of her. She banged her fist against it, "Open this door right now!" she yelled.

Winter watched her silently as she frowned, did she really care so much about that girl? She lowered her gaze slightly, the way she had treated her back in the hospital. That wasn't who she wanted to be for her sister, they had enough of that growing up.

"Winter...?" came Weiss' voice as her sister looked up to see her. Weiss was staring at her sibling with a look of confusion. "What... What are you doing here? Where's father?" asked Weiss as her voice grew quieter.

"He is... Gone now. He will never hurt you again..." spoke Winter softly.

"You...?" paused Weiss, a look of horror on her face to think that her sister had actually been capable of killing their father.

"It was for us Weiss... I had to... He would have never have let you live the life you wanted..." replied Winter.

Weiss seemed stunned by the news, "But... That means I have to-" she was cut off as Winter raised a hand to her, palm flat and outwards facing.

"No... You do not... I will" answered Winter before lowering her hand.

The once heiress blinked in surprise, "Winter... You... You don't have to, you got away, you don't need to go back to this..."

"I never got away Weiss... I just hid from it. I was selfish to leave the burden to you, so now it is time I returned to my post..." said Winter, glancing down to her prosthetic briefly.

Weiss took several steps towards her sister before pausing as she noticed something upon her face. "W- Winter... What happened to your...?" she began, not wanting to finish her sentence. Slowly Winter brought up her metallic hand to brush asides her fringe, revealing not only the white eye-patch beneath it but also the metallic chip embedded above her brow. "Winter..." frowned Weiss as she took a final step towards her, wrapping her arms around her.

Winter returned the embrace, "...There is something else you need to know, sister. And I regret to tell you that it is not good news..." she admitted, voice shifting into a whisper. Weiss never responded as she tightened her arms around her. "He... He killed her..." she said, the words causing her younger sister to tremble in her arms at the confirmation.

"Wh- Why...?" came the shaken response from Weiss.

"I... Don't know..." said Winter, her own voice hitching slightly with a pang of depression. "But... it is all over now... We can put it behind us, our past. This... This is all something to look forward to now" began Winter as her hand stroked at her sister's hair softly. "No longer will our home be a prison we fear returning to, no longer will our father loom over our progress with a judging gaze... We are free now, to do as we want... We are all the family we need. I have you, and you have me. That was how it always was, after all, and how it will always be" she finished, a half smile appearing on her face as she took a deep breath, as if a weight had been lifted from the both of them after so long.

"But... you're wrong..." began Weiss which prompted a concerned gaze from her sister. "I'll be free... But you'll be here, stuck" she answered.

Winter's eye glanced over to the window, the shattered moon shining through. "Then be free for us both, I had a choice and I made it. I will be more than happy to know that you are out there finally doing as you have always wanted" she replied.

There was a slight pause. "Did you... bury him in the crypt?" asked Weiss.

"Yes... But as far from mother and the rest of our ancestors as I could manage. He rests cold and alone. He was a black stain on our legacy and that is how he will be remembered" answered Winter.

The two stood in silence as their sisterly embrace continued. It wasn't just a turning point for them, but for their entire family, their company, their legacy and their kingdom. From here on, everything would be better. Their house would finally become a home. "I love you" whispered Weiss quietly.

Winter smiled, "I love you too sister..." she replied before finally loosening her arms and parting from her sibling. Weiss smiled back up at her as she brushed a tear from her eye. "Now then... I hear someone went through great length to protect you?" asked Winter. Weiss glanced around cautiously, she knew what she was referring to. "Do not worry, for what it is worth I apologize for my words back then. I was not in a clear state of mind..." she spoke. "I wish to hear what transpired before making any judgements on your... relationship" she added.

Weiss hesitantly nodded as she prepared to recount the events of her encounter with Raven.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

White eyes glared in anger and pain as she struggled to break herself free of her captor's grasp. She was back in the mansion and Weiss had been separated from her. Her broken arm and her wounded leg throbbed with pain. The aching all over her body was all she could feel as a group of soldiers attempted to escort her as gently as they could manage. For Neo, the fight wasn't over. She turned her head as her teeth clamped down on the hand of the soldier that was holding her by her shoulder, drawing blood instantly. He let out a pained cry as he released her, pulling his hand back. "Don't lose hold of her!" yelled one of the guards as the three others closed in to restrain her.

Without the aid of the guard that was holding her she fell to her knee as a result of her leg. Her eyes glanced up at the soldiers as they approached her. She grit her teeth and tried to endure the agony as she waited for them to draw nearer. One of the guards reached out towards her as her image shattered at the touch. Before the guard could realise what had happened he felt something brush by his side, shortly after a volt of electricity surged through his body as he spasmed and fell to the ground in a stunned fashion. From behind him Neo held an electric baton tightly in the grip of her left hand, a weapon the guards in the manor often carried.

She was however still unable to stand as she turned to look at the other two. "She's armed!" one called as they unsheathed their own stun batons. They saw it as the safest way to incapacitate her. One stood forward as he jabbed the baton towards her chest. Neo struck at the device with her own as she parried the hit. The guard took a step back as he looked to his comrade, "Get behind her" he ordered as the other complied, positioning himself to flank the girl. Neo glanced from side to side with a frightened expression, like a cornered animal. More guards were approaching and soon she would be hopelessly outnumbered.

"Halt!" yelled a commanding voice, one that Neo recognized. Her eyes widened as she looked to the guards that were approaching from down the hall. They parted as Winter appeared from behind them, stepping between the two. Behind her followed Weiss who upon seeing Neo on the floor quickly rushed to her side, a hand placing upon her shoulder. Winter came to a halt in front of the two, her icy blue eye staring down upon the wounded woman. "Neo, I would prefer it if you let my men help you" she spoke.

Neo seemed confused by her words, the last ones she had heard from her had not been the gentlest. Her white eyes looked to Weiss who frowned at her, "It's okay" she spoke softly.

Hesitantly Neo let the baton in her hand drop to the floor with a clatter. Her pain doubled over from the stress of moving around so much as she leaned forward against her partner, her expression showing clearly her agony. Weiss placed her arms around her as she looked back to her sister. Winter's eye glanced back to her men, "Help them up" she ordered, to which they obliged. The group then began walking both Neo and Weiss to where they could treat Neo's injuries. Winter watched them before hearing one of her guards call her from behind. She turned to face the man.

"Lady Schnee, the other guests have arrived" he informed her.

"Very well, thank you" she answered as she moved into a stride back down the hall she came from. She would check up on Neo later after she had recovered further.

After a minute or so she made her way into the entrance hall of the manor. Her eye immediately looked towards both Yang and Blake, standing cautiously. The woman noticed that the blonde's grey jacket was finally being worn normally, two arms filling the sleeves. Yang was the first to spot Winter, she seemed happy to see her initially but then her expression turned to sudden worry. This prompted a concerned look from Winter as she stopped before the two.

"Yang?" asked Winter.

Yang looked to Blake with uncertainty. The Faunus sighed quietly before looking back to Winter, "We... Don't know where Weiss and Neo are. We think they ran..." she answered as Yang also turned her lilac gaze to Winter.

Winter smirked and breathed a laugh. "Now that is troubling" she answered, her voice in a more casual tone.

"It's not something to look happy about, she could be in danger!" said Yang, she was shocked that Winter could react like this to her sister's disappearance.

"She is here. Both of them are" answered Winter with a smug expression.

"Wait what?" asked Yang immediately.

"I own the company now, so I set to having my newly acquired men search for Weiss and return her here. They are safe. Neo however is in poor condition. They encountered the woman that took my hand" spoke Winter, briefly gesturing to her mechanical left hand.

"Wait, Raven!?" yelled Yang in surprise.

Winter's eye narrowed, "How do you know her name...?" she asked.

Of course, Yang hadn't told her. She glanced around as if trying to avoid the question, but the glare remained on her. "Uh... She..." began the blonde.

"So that is what it was..." spoke Winter.

"... What?" asked Yang in confusion, eyes looking back to the woman.

"When I fought her there was this sense of... familiarity. Her eyes beneath the mask, the form her hair took. Now that I think of it, if she had blonde hair the connection would have been made there and then. That was your mother..." continued Winter, eye glancing aside in thought as she put the pieces together.

"Y- Yeah..." admitted Yang as she lowered her gaze.

"Do not feel guilt on her part" spoke Winter as her eye locked back onto her.

Blake peered searchingly at Winter's face before speaking, "What happened to your eye?" she asked.

Yang looked up, she hadn't noticed anything out of place. Winter smiled softly as she brought her metallic hand up to her fringe once more, brushing away the silver white hair to reveal her eye-patch. "My father" she answered.

"Where is he now?" asked Blake.

"Where he belongs" answered Winter once more.

"Winter... This... This all really sucks... You lost your hand, now you lost your eye..." began Yang, simply feeling sorry for everything the woman had endured.

"I can live with one eye, and my hand was easily replaced. You however..." she spoke as she glanced down to her prosthetic arm. "If this was our first meeting I would not have been able to tell..." she continued.

Yang also looked down to her arm as she pulled up her sleeve slightly, revealing more of the prosthetic. "I still don't get how it works but some of the doctors were helping me figure it out..." replied the blonde as the fingers of the arm twitched.

"You will get a hand on it in time" said Winter in her usual tone. Yang looked back up to her, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Is something the matter?" asked Winter.

"Did you just make a pun?" replied Yang.

"Excuse me?" asked Winter once more.

Yang paused, trying to gauge her expression. The woman looked as stoic as ever. "Never mind..." she said.

Winter smirked softly. "But I digress. You will both be spending the night here" she stated.

"We will?" asked Blake as she raised a brow.

"Yes" nodded Winter, "I have reason to not be as trusting towards the General as I used to be. I am also sure neither of you would want to spend a single night further in a hospital bed. We will have dinner tonight where we will discuss your next step and tomorrow you will be given a choice. Stay another day, or search for your missing leader" she answered, crossing her arms.

"Wait... You won't come with us...?" asked Yang.

Winter's eye briefly glanced to the floor before back up, piercing Yang with its icy gaze. "Unfortunately this is as far as I can go... I must remain here, in Atlas. I need to step into the seat my father has left vacant..." she answered.

"Winter..." said Yang, her voice trailing off slightly at the thought of not continuing her journey alongside her.

A smile appeared on the woman's face, "But that is not a topic for now. I will have some men escort you to your room for the evening. In two hours time I will send someone for you, so freshen up before then ladies" she spoke.

Two butlers approached from the side, respectfully waiting. "Will Weiss and Neo be at the dinner?" asked Blake.

"Of course, Neo may have some difficulty moving however. Her leg was wounded as well as her arm" answered Winter.

"Well... Guess we'll see you there, then?" asked Yang, still looking somewhat dejected at the news of Winter remaining in Atlas.

"Until then" nodded Winter once as the two turned to be escorted by the butlers. Her eye watched them carefully as they began ascending the stairs to the upper floor.

* * *

The door closed behind the two as they entered a spacious and lavish bedroom, they could still hear the footsteps outside growing distant as the butlers walked further away. Yang looked to Blake who returned the glance. The blonde shrugged her shoulders, "Free food is always good right?" she asked. Blake rolled her eyes at her before making her way further into the room, curiosity taking over her actions as she searched and poked at every expensive looking thing she found. Yang took a single look around the room, the large comfy looking bed was in the centre, at the back wall were two large windows, a door off to the left that likely led to the bathroom and various items and objects as well as paintings dotted the spaces that would otherwise be empty.

"How do you think we'll start looking for Ruby?" asked Blake as she stood up straight after examining the drawers, her golden eyes peering over to her partner.

Yang shrugged her shoulders again as she moved to sit herself on the edge of the bed. The bed itself was overly soft as she sank into it. "I dunno. Think we'll go to Patch first, that's where my dad said he was gonna start" she answered.

Blake approached Yang as she stood to a halt in front of her, hands on her hips casually. "Have you tried calling him?" she asked.

"Yeah... Still nothing" spoke Yang in a distanced manner.

"He could just be somewhere with no signal" replied Blake.

"Could be... I'm not sure how we're getting back to Patch though. I guess we could just fly? I'm not sure how expensive that is here" said Yang.

"We'll think of something" spoke Blake, "Does this mean I get to see your house by the way?" she asked.

Yang looked at her partner suspiciously, "As much as I'd like to do the whole "Meet the family" thing, nobody's there" she smirked slyly.

Blake scoffed at the blonde, "I just think it would be nice to see the place you grew up in" she answered.

"Oh I bet, you probably want to see my bed too right?" asked Yang, her joking nature shining through once again.

"So what if I do?" asked Blake, trying to seem indifferent about the fact that she was having fun with the conversation.

"Is this the part where I ruin it again?" grinned Yang.

"Don't you dare" warned Blake with narrowed eyes.

Yang leaned back slightly, patting her lap. "Pfft, don't get all grumpy. Come here" she answered.

"I'm not grumpy, I'm prepared" replied Blake as she moved herself to sit on Yang's lap, facing her as she placed her hands upon her shoulders.

"Prepared for what?" asked Yang as she raised a brow at her.

"Disappointment" smiled Blake as she leaned herself down to kiss her partner upon her soft lips. She parted shortly afterwards.

"Harsh" replied Yang as she moved her arms to wrap around her waist, the two indulging in a second passionate kiss. Yang paused, arms? She broke the kiss and glanced down, both of her arms were wrapped around Blake's waist. "B- Blake look! I did it!" she exclaimed.

Blake sighed and glanced down, whether intentional or not her planned romantic moment with Yang had failed again. She saw that there was indeed two arms wrapped around her. "It's... a little tight though" answered the Faunus as she shifted herself slightly in Yang's lap.

"Oh it is? Sorry" apologized Yang as she made to loosen her arms, but she failed to move the prosthetic. "Uhh..." she began ominously as she realised she had lost control of her new arm once more.

"What does "Uhh" mean...?" asked Blake as she questioned the sound Yang had made.

"I... I can't move it" admitted Yang.

"What do you mean you can't move it...?" asked Blake once more as her voice lowered slightly.

"I literally can't move it. It won't budge. I don't know how I even wrapped it around you" answered Yang. She reached her real hand to grasp at her fake arm, trying to pry it back. Her eyes narrowed as she struggled, "It's... Really stuck there..." she spoke.

"Please tell me you're joking" said Blake with a look of concern. As much as she liked being close to Yang she didn't like the idea of being stuck to her forever.

"Gimmie a sec, maybe I can just move my shoulder" began Yang as she attempted to elevate the arm. It only moved up Blake's back and pushed her chest against the blonde's face.

"Ah-... Yang that hurts even more, lower it again" squirmed Blake. Yang did as she was asked and took a short breath, her face reddened slightly.

"I dunno, I kinda liked that..." confessed Yang with a lewd grin.

Blake narrowed her eyes down at her, "Take this seriously. If that's... Um... Really what you want to do though, we can do it later... When I'm not stuck..." she answered, a blush appearing on her own cheeks.

"I'll call Winter, she's got a robo-hand" nodded Yang as she reached her free arm for her scroll.

"W- Wait Yang, she can't see us like this!" stuttered Blake with haste.

Yang was just about to call Winter as she looked back up to Blake. "What? Why? She already knows we're together" she said.

The Faunus was clearly embarrassed as her golden gaze glanced aside, "It's just... She'll think we were trying to... Do something..." she replied.

Yang pointed her finger at her partner, "I'll have you know Winter is a _professional_. I know because she's told me like five times" she nodded before bringing the scroll up to her ear.

"Yang don't!" pleaded Blake as she squirmed once more in the vice of her arm.

The sensation of feeling Blake's hips move around in her lap briefly set something off in Yang's head. She blushed more deeply before composing herself. "Hey Winter" she greeted, speaking into the scroll.

"Everything is fine, don't listen to her!" said Blake as she tried to speak into the scroll.

The voice from the other end of the scroll came through after a brief pause, "Do I want to know what this is going to be about?" asked Winter.

"No!" stated Blake.

"Yes" answered Yang. "Come up to our room, my cool cyber-arm isn't working" she said.

"We're fine, we can fix it!" continued Blake as she protested the idea.

A sigh came through the scroll, "I'll be there in a minute" she answered before the call ended.

Yang placed the device back down as she looked up to Blake. "Wanna make out until she gets here?" she asked bluntly, her heart having already been set to a quickened pace thanks to all the movement from Blake.

Blake glanced around with concern and thought. There was a drawn pause before she gave her answer."Just a little..." she reluctantly whispered before leaning back down towards her, their lips locking together once more into a deep kiss.

Abruptly the door opened, "What exactly is-" the woman froze as she stared at the two.

Yang and Blake immediately separated from the kiss in a startled fashion, the blonde looking over her partner's shoulder and towards Winter. "I thought you said a minute!" she yelled. Blake's entire face lit up with a red hue as she tried to pull herself away from Yang, but of course the mechanical arm kept her in place.

"Shall I come back later?" asked Winter as she turned to make although she was going to leave.

"Ah wait, no! I still need your help, look!" called Yang as she tried to gesture towards the arm wrapped around Blake's waist.

Winter narrowed her gaze at it, "Oh..." she awkwardly commented as she closed the door behind her. "The situation is quickly becoming clear... I will refrain from any direct questions so let us get this over with" she said, approaching the two. Blake continued to glance around in her embarrassed state as Winter came closer. She reached her hand down to grasp at Yang's prosthetic, giving it a tug.

"See? It's really stuck..." said Yang.

"It appears so. I have little experience with my own hand, never mind an arm. But I will try and tell you how I was told to move such devices. First of all, wrap your other arm around her" suggested Winter as she nodded to Yang's real arm.

"What?" asked Yang in a confused manner.

"Yang, please. I am a _professional_ " sighed Winter.

Blake gave Yang a typical glance in response to the word professional as the blonde wrapped her other arm around her waist. "Like this...?" asked Yang.

"Yes, good. Now close your eyes and release her. The movement of your real arm should hopefully make moving the other one easier, especially when thinking to move both in the same fashion at the same time" instructed Winter as she looked down at the two arms.

"Okay, here I go" said Yang as she closed her eyes and moved a single arm outward. "Did it work?" she asked.

"No, try again" suggested Winter as Yang wrapped her arm around her partner once more. This time Winter placed one hand on the prosthetic and her other upon Yang's right shoulder. "Feeling something on the arm you're trying to move might help too. I'll pull" she answered, now practically leaning over Blake.

The door behind them opened as the three glanced back, Weiss was staring back at them. "Uh... Hey Weiss..." spoke Yang.

Weiss continued to stare at the three. Blake in Yang's lap, her sister practically over her and with her hand on Yang's shoulder. "Weiss this is not-" began Winter before her younger sister silently and swiftly left, closing the door.

The three remained silent for a short while. "She'll be fine...?" answered Yang in an unsure fashion.

"Shut up and close your eyes" sighed Winter again as she looked back to the two.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

It was as she preferred it, the grand hall was dark with the moonlight shining through. The centre of the hall held a single table, round in shape and large enough for a small group. Around it were four chairs and upon the table itself an assortment of food and drink. Candles lit up the table, leaving it to be the only lit part of the large room. Winter sat in her chair, eye idly glancing down at the spot in front of her as the metallic fingers of her left hand tapped against the base of a wine glass. Her mind was elsewhere, lost in thoughts and schemes.

Her eye glanced up to the sound of the doors opening, two figures entered the Grand Hall before making their way to the table. The lights of the candle lit their faces as they neared and Winter could see that it was Yang and Blake. The came to a halt and looked down at the table that had been set. "Pretty romantic. Something you wanna tell us?" asked Yang with a smirk. Blake sighed and slapped her arm lightly.

Winter smiled at the comment before gesturing with one hand to the chairs on her left. "Please, take a seat. Weiss and... Neo... Should be here soon" she spoke, pausing at Neo's name for clear reasons as her smile faltered slightly.

Yang moved to take the chair nearest to Winter on her left while Blake sat besides Yang. "Still though, why didn't you light up the rest of the hall?" asked Yang as she looked to Winter.

"I felt although the rest of the room might distract from what is important" answered Winter as she rested her chin on her hand, her eye glancing around the room.

"What's important?" asked Blake, she didn't mind the dark surroundings. After all, her eyes were better than most in such lighting.

"Us" answered Winter, her eye landing on the doors to the room once more. Silently waiting for the last guests to appear. Yang's voice caught her attention as she looked to her.

"By the way, I wanted to say thanks" spoke Yang as the woman raised a brow at her. "You... You've helped me from the start. Back in Vale..." began the blonde.

"My men arrested you at a night club and then I proceeded to arrest your father" smirked Winter as she recalled her time in Vale.

Yang shook her head, "Nah, not that. What I'm saying is... I was by myself in Vale, I had one lead and when I got arrested I thought it was over as soon as it started" she said, eyes glancing to the table. "It probably would have been over" she spoke, looking back up to Winter. "But then I met you. Even though you were really strict and stuff, you were the first to help me when I was looking for Blake here" she continued, patting her partner on the shoulder. "You gave me new leads, you gave me backup soldiers if I needed them, you let me ride on your bike and even protected me. You're... You're a really great friend" finished Yang as she smiled brightly at the woman.

Winter listened intently to her words, she chuckled softly by the end. "I am glad to hear you say as much Yang. It was nice to have somebody I could consider as such. You made me feel like I was a huntress in training again, and for that I should thank you in return" she replied.

"I want to thank you as well" came Blake's voice. Both of the women turned to look at her as she lowered her golden gaze. "It's like Yang said. If not for you she would never have found me. It's thanks to you we're..." she paused for a moment. "So much is thanks to you, Winter" she answered, looking up to the woman and offering a smile of her own.

"You speak although I was without my flaws, Blake. I hardly deserve a thanks from you, not after what I said during our journey here" said Winter in response.

"I know why you had to do that though, and you were right. I wouldn't have listened to you if you told me to stop being open with Yang in front of Neo just for her sake. You did the right thing back then and I don't hold it against you" replied Blake, eyes awkwardly glancing away once more.

Winter's smile grew wider, "I do believe this is the most I have heard you speak" she said.

"Blakey likes to speak more with actions" grinned Yang as she jabbed her partner in the shoulder with her finger. The Faunus swatted at her hand in response before the blonde leaned back comfortably in her chair. "I'm gonna miss it though, travelling with you. I've never really been outside of Patch and Vale before, so seeing more of the world was something. Plus let's be honest, the car ride was pretty fun and relaxing. Well, not one hundred percent of the time but you know what I mean. It was quiet, no one was trying to kill us... Just us, the car, the road and the world" she answered. To Yang it meant more than that though. Her goal in life was to adventure around the world of Remnant and she thought that goal was forever out of her reach when she suffered her injury. But thanks to Winter she got a taste of that life, something she'd never forget.

"It was nice" said Winter as she nodded her head, Blake doing the same in agreement. The entrance doors of the Grand Hall opened as one figure and... something else entered the room. The group looked over as the two came into the light. The first thing noticeable was Neo. Yang and Blake were surprised to see her in a wheelchair with her right arm wrapped and held in a supporting sling. Behind her was Weiss, pushing the wheelchair. The fact there were only four chairs for five people quickly became clear to Yang and Blake as Weiss rolled the chair up to the table and took a seat in the chair besides it and on her sister's right side.

"Uh... Hey Weiss, Neo" greeted Yang, she realised too late that she was staring at Neo's condition. She saw the short girl frown and avoid her gaze. To think that her mother had put her in that chair.

"Yang, Blake, Sister" greeted Weiss in response. Neo, as usual, remained silent. She looked depressed and it was not difficult to understand why. Weiss shuffled her chair closer towards her partner.

Winter looked to Neo's dejected state and frowned herself, "It is only temporary, your leg was just so recently wounded. Your aura should do most of the healing relatively quickly, it was just a stab wound after all" she spoke in an attempt to reassure her. Neo remained silent and avoided eye contact with everyone but Weiss. With a quiet sigh Winter looked to the others, "Now that we are all present however, please, help yourselves" she answered before gesturing towards the abundance of food and drink on the table.

"Wait Winter, is this actual wine?" asked Yang as she picked up a bottle from the table, looking to the label.

"You can read, right?" asked Winter in return.

Blake noticed early on that a majority of the dishes containing seafood were closer to her than anybody else. She took a large fork and quickly began filling up her plate from the rest of the table. "How much did this all cost?" asked the Faunus as she greedily stacked her plate with a variety of food.

"Not enough to even scratch my new and overwhelming budget" replied Winter, electing to pick out a few foods from the table and add them to her plate. Yang was meanwhile trying to open the bottle with brute force, earning her a sigh from Winter as she picked a corkscrew up from the table and held it out to her.

Weiss glanced to Neo who had wandering mismatched eyes, glancing over the selection in front of her. Weiss took note that there were many kinds of sweet desserts in front of her partner. It appeared that Winter had planned out the entire table according to what each of them preferred. She watched Neo reach forward to grab a large bowl of ice cream of her preferred flavours, but she failed to reach from her wheelchair. "Here" spoke Weiss softly, not wanting to draw attention to either of them as she reached for the bowl and placed it in front of Neo. Weiss saw that the girl was staring at her, still with her frown. Did she feel guilty that Weiss had to do something for her? Weiss frowned in return, leaning closer towards her as she whispered. "It's just for today, right? Don't think too much on it" she said, trying to provide what words of comfort she could offer. Neo gave her a singular nod before turning to her dessert.

With the additional help from a corkscrew Yang finally opened the bottle of red wine, instantly pouring herself a generous glass of the beverage before looking to Blake and pouring one for her. "Ah, Yang it's okay, I don't think I want any-" began Blake in protest as she looked to her glass being filled to the brim.

"Nah, it's good, you want it" nodded Yang as she finished pouring her glass. She then turned to hold the bottle out towards Winter who took it into her metallic grasp.

"I thought it might be the first time some of you have tried it, so it is a rather suitable choice. That is not to imply that it is weak however, try not to drink too much" answered Winter as she began pouring herself a glass of the red liquid. After finishing she moved to set the bottle down, but her hand remained grasped around the neck of it as her eye looked over to Weiss who was looking back at her in an unsure fashion. The two paused in silence for a while, Weiss had never had wine before and Winter was reluctant to let her try it if only because of what she believed to be her sisterly duty to protect her younger sibling from all things adult. But she kept staring back at her with that almost pleading gaze to try it. She narrowed her one eye and gestured with her other hand that she give her over her glass.

Weiss blinked in some surprise before picking up her empty wine glass and holding it out across the table towards her older sister. Winter took the glass in hand as she closed her eye and promptly began pouring, as if she didn't want to witness herself doing it. She opened it again as she brought the bottle back, the glass was barely half full as she held it back towards Weiss who knew better than to ask for more. So instead she nodded politely and in thanks to Winter before taking the glass back. She looked to Neo who hadn't even noticed the wine being passed around the table, she was far too focused on her ice cream for the time being as she shovelled spoonfuls of it into her mouth.

A cough came from Blake's direction that caught the attention of all but Neo. The Faunus noticed this and awkwardly brought her hand to her mouth as she tried her best to hide her second cough, but everyone still knew exactly what had happened. Her cheeks flushed red as she glanced over towards Yang's direction awkwardly. The blonde was just grinning at her, "Hey Blake" she began.

"No, Yang, don't" replied Blake.

"Blake, listen" continued Yang, her grin growing wider at the anticipation of her no doubt great joke.

"Just stop, it's going to be bad" answered Blake as she looked forward with a dead expression.

"Blake, you're..." started Yang. The Faunus steeled herself for what was to come. "... _Whining_ " she finally answered as she snorted at her own pun.

Blake shuddered slightly as her gaze lowered to the table, that was a particular bad one. "I hate you" she stated.

Both Winter and Weiss chuckled at the joke, not because it was funny but more for Blake's reaction to it. Weiss decided to try the alcoholic beverage in front of her as she lifted the glass into her hand. She had been taught how to appropriately hold such a glass long before she actually needed to as she brought it to her lips and took a gulp. It was dry and caught a reaction from her as she lowered the glass and emitted a small cough, quickly covering her mouth. She looked up to Yang's sharp lilac gaze glaring at her in preparation for another pun. Weiss looked genuinely worried but thankfully her big sister was always there to watch her back.

"I see you have not deigned to try your own glass yet, Yang" spoke Winter as she looked to her.

Yang returned the glance and seemed awkward as she shrugged her shoulders with a smile, "Oh, you know. Just waiting for the right moment" she answered.

"Now appears a good a time as any" smirked Winter as she glared at her with her icy blue eye.

An awkward chuckle escaped Yang's mouth as she picked the glass into her hand. "Sure thing, it's just wine" she answered before choosing to take a brave and large gulp. She put the glass back down as she swallowed and tried to hold in a cough. She failed and couldn't help herself as she coughed twice, earning soft chuckles from everyone asides from Neo. Yang then brought her hand up to her throat and seemed to start choking.

Blake widened her eyes, "Yang!?" she said as she moved to place a hand on her shoulder in concern. Winter was alarmed as her eye quickly darted to Weiss, she had drank from the same bottle after all.

Laughing was heard, an almost taunting laugh. It was Yang, moving her hand away from her throat as she simply laughed at the reactions of those around the table. Winter looked back to her and sighed deeply, knowing it was probably just Yang getting everyone back for laughing at her cough. "Always with the last word, hm?" asked Winter.

"Yang you idiot" grumbled Blake as she pinched her shoulder hard before sitting back down in her chair.

Yang yelped from the pinch as she rubbed her shoulder with her right arm. She paused to notice her prosthetic was moving once more, staring down at it. "Congratulations" commented Winter as she watched her. Yang smiled wide at the realization, looking to each around the table like an excited child. Blake peered up at the arm as Yang started to move it awkwardly, its motion staggered somewhat like a machine that wasn't fully functioning, but at least it was actually moving now.

Across the table Weiss took another sip of her wine, this time being able to drink it respectfully before she looked down to Neo who had finished her ice cream. It upset Weiss that she couldn't take part in the fun they were having as she reached out her hand to place it over hers on the table. Neo looked up to Weiss and offered a half smile in response, eyes staring into hers.

"Neo" came Winter's voice as the called woman looked to her with concern, quickly moving her hand away from Weiss'. Winter frowned slightly, "It is okay. I just wanted you to know that I will be wanting to talk to you before you all leave tomorrow, in private" she said. Neo nodded in return, still seeming slightly worried about the idea. Especially after how their last private meeting had gone.

"Do you want anything else?" asked Weiss to her partner, looking at her empty bowl. Neo looked to Weiss and nodded, pointing at a second bowl of even more cold dessert. Weiss seemed disappointed with her choice as she spoke, "Are you sure you don't want something else? The steak is really good" she suggested, pointing to another plate on the table. Neo shook her head and once again pointed at the same dessert. "It's... Not really healthy to only eat sweet things" said Weiss as she looked to her partner again. "Where does all of it even go-" she paused as her eyes mistakenly peered towards Neo's rather generous chest for her size. Neo stared back at her knowingly, as if she agreed with what she was thinking.

"It has to be said, it is a wonder how her teeth are still in good condition along with her figure with how much junk food she eats..." commented Winter from across the table as Blake and Yang conversed with one another.

"At least try it?" asked Weiss as she nudged her own plate towards Neo slightly. The shorter woman looked to the plate and made a sour expression, it seemed she really didn't like the idea. "It won't hurt, look, here" began Weiss as she speared a piece of meat onto her fork and held it out towards Neo who at first reclined her head from the offending food. "Just try, you might like it" smiled Weiss. Neo looked to her and frowned, there was something about the way she looked at her that just seemed to... Inspire her in a sense. She hesitantly leaned forward to close her mouth around the fork as she pulled the meat from it with her teeth. She began to chew and her expression was a clear tell on how she felt about the steak. But she kept chewing as she looked to Weiss, eventually swallowing the food. "See? It's not that bad. Do you want more maybe?" asked Weiss.

Neo shook her head and pointed her finger at the bowl of dessert once more. With a sigh Weiss put her fork back down as she moved the bowl in front of Neo who immediately started demolishing it with her spoon once more. Weiss turned to see Winter hadn't moved her gaze from the two, it was as if she was judging them as a couple, trying to decide wherever Neo was in fact a suitable match for her sister. Weiss glanced aside awkwardly as she looked over the table towards Yang and Blake. The two of them seemed in a happy mood as they talked.

It had been a rough day but the evening seemed to make up for it. It was good that they were all here, for Weiss wasn't sure when the last time she'd see her sister would be. She almost gave out a yelp as she glanced to Winter, her eye were looking elsewhere now which gave her relief. Neo's hand had grasped her thigh beneath the table, squeezing it as her cheeks flustered red slightly. She looked back to the shorter woman. "Neo, not here" she whispered as softly as she could. Neo smirked at her as she slowly let her hand slide off from her soft leg. It was as if only two things made Neo happy these days. Dessert and her. Weiss pondered wherever that was a combination she would ever have to see. With how forward Neo was... She didn't completely erase the possibility from her mind.

* * *

An hour had passed and the group were still at the table. More food had been eaten, more wine had been consumed. Finally Winter stood to her feet, she seemed as normal, if not a little more cheerful, as ever. "Ladies" she announced as she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief. "That will be all for me. Feel free to eat as much as you need, it may be the last good meal you get after you leave Atlas, so make the most of it" nodded Winter. "I will see you all in the morning, drink responsibly" she said, nodding to the group.

"Bye Winter!" called Yang as she waved her prosthetic in a robotic fashion, not out of choice, she was simply just not very used to using it yet. The rest of the group each said their goodnight to the host, Neo offering a wave of her left hand. With that Winter began walking away, heading towards the entrance to the room as she opened both doors and closed them behind herself. Much of the food on the table was gone and a second bottle of wine had been opened and the candles were burning dim. Weiss had a permanent blush on her cheeks, easily noticeable thanks to her pale skin. She had drank three half glasses of wine and was quite tipsy. She smiled more as a result.

Yang had less of a blush and seemed more in control than the others, perhaps something to do with her bloodline. Blake was undoubtedly as tipsy as Weiss, and Neo who had only started drinking the wine recently, seemed absolutely drunk on the stuff.

"H- Hey Neo do it again" chuckled Yang as she leaned forward slightly on the table as all three watched her.

Neo nodded with a wide smile as her form seemed to shimmer, and steadily her clothes seemed to change completely as a light passed over them. Even her hair changed, turning black as a bow appeared on top of her head. For all intents and purposes she now looked like Blake, the only thing that remained the same however was her facial structure. It just looked like Neo was dressing up as the Faunus instead of actually being her.

"Hah!" laughed Yang as she pointed at Neo.

Blake narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Do... Do you have the ears though?" she asked, smiling and too tipsy to care about her little feud with the girl. Weiss leaned over towards her partner as she started undoing the black bow, removing it to reveal nothing beneath.

"Oooh, I don't think she's seen your cute little ears Blakey" spoke Yang, "Minus points to Neo for that one" she added.

Neo bobbed her head side to side as her hair swayed, clearly enjoying herself as the façade slowly began to shimmer and disappear in the same fashion it was conjured. "Wait, do Weiss next" grinned Yang as she looked to Weiss who sat back down comfortably in her chair.

"Wait me? Why me? We haven't done you yet!" replied Weiss as she pointed a finger at the blonde.

"Wait, she's doing something" noted Blake as all three looked to Neo once more, still bobbing her head side to side in bliss as her form shimmered again. Steadily her clothes changed along with her hair. A silver-white ponytail.

As before, she looked just like Weiss but maintained her own facial structure. "Oh hey, that's pretty cute" commented Yang as she compared the two side-by-side.

Weiss looked to Neo and tilted her head at her. Neo's own complexion had turned paler, it seemed she had control even over the colour of her skin. She pondered just exactly what Neo's semblance was, it seemed very illusion based but she was too tipsy to go any further into it. Neo turned her head to face Weiss, her mimicking blue eyes taking on a rather sultry stare. As a result Weiss' blush grew more intense as she coughed to herself before looking back at the others. She couldn't tell if she found Neo's current form attractive or strange. Maybe both.

"Blakey" yawned Yang as she looked to girlfriend, still chuckling at the whole scenario.

"Yellow woman" replied Blake as she looked to Yang.

"Yellow woman?" asked Yang.

Blake nodded, "You are very... Yellow" she answered.

Yang narrowed her lilac eyes slightly, "You're weird when you're drunk" she replied.

"I'm not drunk" replied the Faunus.

"That's what a drunk person would say" nodded Yang wisely.

"You're a drunk person!" accused Blake.

"I didn't say I wasn't. I am also a pretty tired person" responded Yang as she gave out another yawn.

Blake raised a brow at her, "You're also... A pretty pretty person" she answered.

"You could've just said pretty once you know" smirked Yang.

"Shut up..." replied Blake.

Yang stood up from her chair and to her feet, finishing off the last of the wine in her glass without coughing as she reached out her prosthetic hand to Blake. "Wanna go to bed?" she asked.

Blake looked at the prosthetic cautiously, as if it would crush her hand. But she trusted Yang and so raised her hand up to grasp hers, being lifted to her feet. "I... Guess I am kinda tired..." admitted Blake before the two looked to Weiss and Neo.

"We'll see you both tomorrow okay?" said Yang.

Weiss nodded, "Of course, see you tomorrow, sleep well" she answered as Neo waved her hand at the two.

Yang turned back to Blake and gave her a shove in the direction towards the door. "Come on kitten, you're really slow" she taunted with a grin.

Blake stood to a halt after being shoved, "I- Hey don't shove me!" she answered before being shoved closer and closer to the door, "Okay I'm going, stop shoving!" she called as she was continuously shoved out the entrance to the Grand Hall, their voices growing more distant as the doors were left open.

Weiss turned back to Neo after they had left. Her partner still looked although she was pretending to be her, but now that she realised it Neo hadn't stopped looking at her with that same gaze. Did she really want something while looking like that? "N- Neo...?" asked Weiss as she took another gulp from her glass, she almost dropped it as she put it back down upon the table. Neo reached for Weiss' wrist and caught it, giving it a tug towards herself. Weiss blushed more as she was pulled closer towards her. "You... You want to kiss... right?" asked Weiss.

Neo gave a confirming nod, her ice blue eyes staring back into the same ones that Weiss had.

"This... This is going to be weird isn't it?" asked Weiss as she leaned herself closer, brushing the silver-white fringe from Neo's face, the fringe that was an exact mirror of her own. Neo let go of her wrist as she reached her hand up to grasp at the back of Weiss' neck, pulling her into a drunken and passionate kiss. Weiss moaned softly into the kiss as she leaned closer towards her, both her hands holding the back of her head as she pushed into the kiss further.

The candles were burning out completely now as they started to smoke and flicker wildly, the moon outside would soon become their only light.

Tomorrow a new journey was sure to begin, one that would take them far and away from Atlas, and perhaps even into another Kingdom other than Vale. None of them for sure had any idea where they were going, or what they would find. But for now at least they could enjoy their time together. They may not have another chance to do so.


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

It was the morning after, Neo stood outside of Weiss' room, fully clothed and still with her arm in a sling. But she was at least standing now, her aura having made quick work of the stab wound in her leg. It still ached to put pressure upon it, but she refused to spend another day in a wheelchair. Before her was Winter, staring down at her with her one eye. She had brought Neo out of the room in order to have her private discussion with her.

Winter began as she spoke, her voice as stern as usual as she crossed her arms. "You understand that I still do not approve of this relationship. It is my belief that you are after one thing" she said as Neo listened intently. "Do you deny this?" she asked. Neo paused briefly before offering a single nod. "I see... She seems taken with you, whether because she is actually attracted to you or simply naïve, I do not know. But she does not seem to be separating from you any time soon" continued Winter as she looked to the door behind the girl in front of her. "Know that if you harm her, or break her heart, there will be consequences" she added, looking back to the woman before her.

Neo nodded once more, understanding what was being said to her.

"If she is upset, you will comfort her. If she wants something, you will give it to her. If she is angry and snaps at you, you will not retaliate and start an argument. And you must always be by her side, she has spent many years alone and I do not wish for that isolation to continue. Do you understand what I am asking of you Neo?" asked Winter.

Again, Neo nodded.

"And I believe it goes without saying... Do not take advantage of her. If I hear any of these conditions have not been met I will be sending someone after you in response. I take my sister's well-being and happiness very seriously" stated Winter as she finished. Neo nodded once more in reply. Winter's eye lingered on the shorter woman for a while before she sighed softly, "I am placing a lot of trust in you Neo, do not betray it... I will see you again shortly with the others" she answered before turning and making her way down one of the halls.

Neo watched as she leaved, eyes narrowing slightly. She didn't like the fact that she was trying to set boundaries on her relationship with Weiss. She was hers now, not Winter's. She turned and opened the door to her room, she could see that Weiss had only just started waking up, sitting up in her bed, holding her quilt to her chest to cover her body. "What were you doing outside?" asked Weiss as she rubbed at one of her eyes with her hand.

In response Neo shrugged her shoulder as she closed the door behind her and briskly approached her partner. She set a knee up onto the bed as she grabbed at the back of Weiss' neck, pulling her into a sudden kiss. To hell with Winter's regulations, Neo didn't need to be told how to treat Weiss, she believed she knew exactly how already. She pushed further onto the bed, lowering herself slightly onto the woman who seemed quite happy to lay back and continue the kiss.

* * *

"Do you remember what Winter said before everyone started getting tipsy?" asked Yang as she walked alongside Blake down another hall.

"Something about transport?" replied Blake in an unsure fashion, rubbing her eyes with her hands.

"Sounds... Kinda right" answered Yang as they continued on, reaching the stairs that led down to the main entrance of the mansion. They could already see Winter, Neo and Weiss waiting.

"Ah, here they are" spoke Winter as she watched the two make their way down the stairs. Yang took note that Weiss seemed different. It was then that she realised she had switched into her travelling attire, one she had worn before back when they fought Roman and his Paladin. That was also the first time they ever saw Neo.

Both Blake and Yang descended the steps and moved to stand besides Neo and Weiss, all four of them now facing Winter. "Didn't keep you waiting did we?" asked Yang with a casual smirk.

"Only a few minutes, but now that you are all present let me remind you of what is going to happen" said Winter, once more crossing her arms. "You will be flying to your destination, the pilot you are being supplied with is one of my finest. He will take you where you need to go, providing the vessel can make the journey. I have also supplied Weiss with some funding to get whatever you might need, be it a hotel, food, so forth. Should you need to reach me, she has also been given a private number. Any questions?" she asked.

"Uhh... Yeah, come with us?" asked Yang.

Winter looked to Yang with a pause, eventually she smiled. "Would that I could, Yang" she answered.

"How fast is the ship?" asked Blake.

"Faster than the car" answered Winter. "Travel time should not be a problem" she added before silence passed over the group, a sign that there were no longer any questions to be had. "Well... In that case, your transport is waiting outside..." spoke Winter softly, looking to all four of the women before her. She approached Neo first, who was at the end of the line. "I wish you all the best of luck on your travels, and that you find who you are looking for" she spoke to the group as she moved her hand forward towards Neo. The shorter girl looked to it before grasping it into her own and shaking. After a few seconds Winter moved to the person besides her, her sister Weiss.

"I'm going to miss you" spoke Weiss as she moved forward to hug her sibling.

"And I you, Weiss" smiled Winter as she returned the hug. "Stay safe, eat plenty, do not forget to drink too, you know how bad your headaches can get when you do not hydrate yourself properly. And remember, I am just a call away" said Winter before pulling away from her. Weiss smiled and nodded. Winter then moved further down the line and stood in front of Blake, extending her hand out to shake.

"We'll probably be back after it's all done" spoke Blake as she looked up to Winter.

"Let me know ahead of time and I will have a welcome party ready for you" she smiled and nodded back at the Faunus before moving towards the last person. Winter once more extended her hand out to shake Yang's. The blonde just looked at it for a moment before her lilac eyes glanced back up to Winter. Abruptly she threw her arms around her into a friendly hug. Winter seemed caught by surprise as she awkwardly patted Yang on the back in response.

"I know I said it before, but thanks Winter, you're awesome" said Yang.

Winter chuckled softly, "You are very welcome Yang, I would not hesitate to travel with you further if not for my new responsibilities. Look after yourself" she answered before parting from the hug. Yang nodded at her as she took a step back into the line. With that all four of them were ready, turning around to face the exit to the mansion as the elderly butler opened the door. Outside the sun shined and within the courtyard was a small airship with four white ribbons hanging from it, Winter's personal transport that she used to visit Beacon during the tournament.

All four started to walk towards the exit, the cold air greeting them as it blew in from the door. The sky outside was clear and blue, the snow that covered the ground as a result shined brightly, and nearly blinding. They moved closer to the airship as its side-ramp folded down onto the ground to allow them entry. As they boarded the craft they looked back to the mansion, it was white and incandescent beneath the sun in the cold sky. At the door stood Winter, raising a hand up in a still wave to the group. The four all raised their hands back, some waving more enthusiastically than others. The ramp began to fold back up as the sight of Winter was leaving them, she smiled at the group as she watched for as long as she could. After the ramp shut she lowered her arm as the engines of the craft sprang to life with a hum.

The ship slowly lifted from the ground as the snow around it was blown into a white powder. From behind Winter could hear the elderly butler, "Lady Schnee, shall we begin?" he asked as he approached.

"In a moment" answered Winter as her icy blue eye remained locked onto the airship as it continued to ascend, the engine turbines rotating as it prepared to begin its journey. The last glimpse of her sister that she would have for some time. She didn't like the idea of her travelling some place where she may be danger, but she had to let her do what she wanted. She couldn't cage her like her father had. The airship accelerated as the four ribbons streamed behind it, quickly growing more distant. She watched until it had vanished from her sight completely, and even after she waited a few minutes alone and in silence.

She finally turned to look at the elderly butler, nodding her head at him before re-entering her mansion, the two large doors slowly closing behind her.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

It was although she was descending into fire. The city was drowned in chaos as plumes of smoke towered overhead, the screams of man and beast alike heard from every corner. Her boots planted against the ground with a clack as she closed her umbrella. She turned to look from the place she had fallen, the Atlesian warship in the sky. She reached into her pocket as she pulled out her scroll, before she opened it however she heard a growl from her right, a Beowulf lunging towards her with claws drawn. She ducked low as its swiping grasp passed over her head. The blade popped out from the end of her umbrella as she lunged it up into the creature of Grimm, tearing through its belly as it collapsed against the ground behind her. She glanced around once in order to check that she was safe. Nothing but fire and noise.

Looking down to her scroll she opened it, quickly typing out a message. She was usually reluctant to put words into any form but she felt comfortable with doing so for Roman. "Landed safe" the message read as she sent it, mismatched eyes glancing back up to the airship. She waited a few seconds before looking back down at her scroll, "Need me back?" she typed out again, sending it as her eyes returned to the airship.

She waited silently amidst the carnage of the city.

Her expression started to wane, her features becoming unsure as she looked back to her scroll, "She dead yet?" she typed out as concerned eyes returned to the warship. Something exploded inside the building behind her as she stumbled forward, falling bricks narrowly missing her as they clattered to the floor. She glanced back to see the burning building, the heat radiating from its violent flames. She peered back to the airship before down towards her scroll. "Roman...?" she typed out. As she sent it a distant explosion popped in the sky, her gaze darted towards the airship, there was fire and smoke. Her eyes widened as she saw the vessel tilt, it was falling. Desperate eyes looked back to the device in her hand, there was no reply. She tried to call the man as she brought it to her ear, hand shaking as she watched the ship grow closer towards the ground.

It rung... And rung... And rung as the ship sunk further...

… But there was no answer.

* * *

Through the window Yang could see the city of Atlas growing smaller as they moved further away. She had regretted not having enough time to explore the city proper but she couldn't enjoy herself while thinking that both her father and Ruby might be in danger elsewhere. Quickly she noticed that the ocean was beneath them, the aircraft she was upon leaving the snowy continent behind. She sighed to herself quietly before looking back to see the others. The space in the craft was small, there seemed to be the general seating area and a narrow door between them that led into the back of the craft.

Blake, Weiss and Neo were all sat down in their seats. An empty spot was besides Blake as Yang moved to sit herself down in it. The Faunus regarded her with a smile as she returned the gesture in kind. Weiss seemed a little down, probably simply due the fact that she wouldn't see her sister again for some time. Neo on the other hand seemed as usual, glancing around curiously with mismatched eyes, they always seemed like they were searching for something.

A voice came from above, it was muffled by the radio as a slow and lazy voice came from it. "Yo, guys, can you like... Put on your seatbelts?" asked the man's voice.

Yang raised a brow, she hadn't expected to hear someone so unrefined piloting Winter's personal ship. She moved her hand down to fasten her seatbelt, clicking it into place. She looked back up to see a small camera above the door that likely led to the cockpit as the others also fastened their safety belts. "Hey, how quick are you getting us to Patch?" asked Yang as she called out to the voice.

"Uhhh..." paused the voice, there was a slow tapping sound from the other end of the speakers. "Like... A day?" replied the voice.

Weiss narrowed her eyes, "Are you new? You sound new" she asked, not seeming keen on the laid back personality of the pilot.

"Ooooh hey, Ice Queen's little sis' right? Hah, you look like her!" replied the voice with a chuckle.

"Excuse me!? How dare you refer to my sister in such a manner!" snapped Weiss with an annoyed expression, Neo placed her hand upon her shoulder in an attempt to calm her while Blake and Yang simply smirked, it wasn't the first time they'd seen Weiss stomp her feet at something somebody had said.

"Hey woah, chill Princess. Nah I ain't new, been flyin' big sis' around for a while now" replied the voice.

"And she's fine with the way you talk?" questioned Weiss as she crossed her arms with a huff.

Another chuckle came through the speakers, "Fine with it? She encourages it. Said it's relaxin' how uhh... Casual I am? So you better get used to it" came the response.

"Unbelievable..." sighed Weiss as she tilted her chin up and turned her head away to look out the window next to Neo.

Blake's sharp gaze turned to the camera, "You said it would take a day? Is there anything to sleep on? Is it even safe to sleep in here?" she asked.

The voice paused in thought before they heard it. "Ehh... There's a cramped bed in the back, it won't fit more than two though. Guess you could grab the quilt or something and throw it down on the floor in front of you. As for it being safe? Cut me some slack, I'm a great pilot. You won't even notice you're miles up in the air while being chased by a Nevermore" he responded.

"You get chased by Nevermore often?" asked Yang.

"Sometimes, I think they're attracted to the ribbons or something. We're faster than they are though. Just gotta watch out for the quills is all... They'll fuck up your day and scratch the paint..." answered the voice.

"Language!" yelled Weiss as her expression soured.

"She always this cranky?" asked the voice.

Both Yang and Blake started to chuckle as Weiss turned to them, "Don't encourage him!" she said in her haughty manner, once more Neo patting at her shoulder in her vain attempt to calm her.

Yang turned back to the window at her side, her lilac eyes peering out from it. They were still above the ocean, the blue water passing by beneath them. Like all Atlesian vehicles the engines of the airship hummed quietly, passing silently through the sky. She glanced down to her prosthetic hand as her fingers twitched, she was getting better at controlling it and her confidence was building up quickly. She gave thought to modifying Celica once more in order to return it to its original form so that she could mount it upon her wrist again. The idea excited her, being able to fight how she used to. Not that her current form was bad, she was just more familiar with punching things instead.

"So why Patch?" asked the pilot's voice.

"It's where I live, and it's our only lead so far" answered Yang.

"Oh yeah? It nice there? Never been. I hear it's boring" responded the pilot.

Yang smirked, "You're right, it's really boring. But that's why it's so nice, nothing ever happens there" she answered.

"Sounds like a good place to raise a family" replied the pilot.

"Looking for a place then?" asked Yang curiously.

The pilot snorted, "Nah, just sayin'. I have too much fun in the sky to settle down" he answered.

Some time later Yang noticed they were once more over land, she could see they were nearing the mountains beneath the port town they had taken the ship from. The spires of rock looked as impressive from the sky as they did from the ground. "Do you think anyone lives down there?" asked Weiss as she looked over Neo and through the window.

"We didn't see anyone when we drove through" answered Blake as she looked to her friend.

"I'm surprised Winter knew her way through it at all" came Yang's voice as she spotted one of the few winding roads. "Wonder if we'll see that lake we stopped at" she added as she narrowed her eyes to try and spy for the location.

"Oh hey, Nevermore on the left" spoke the pilot's voice casually.

"What!?" exclaimed Weiss as she glanced out the window again, in the distance she could see something black flapping its wings, it was on a course straight towards them.

"... I said Nevermore on the left" repeated the pilot.

Weiss paused, there was something familiar in his words just then. "I know what you said!" she replied.

"Well _sorry_ Princess" said the pilot, dragging out his apology as he started to mumble to himself afterwards.

"Should we be like... At least a little worried?" asked Yang as she tried to get a glance at the Nevermore.

"What? Naaah. It's miles away and it's too slow. So long as nobody back there has like... Crushing depression we're fine" answered the pilot.

"What if one of us does?" asked Blake.

"Then it's gonna follow us to your happy little island" replied the voice.

Blake's golden gaze glanced towards Neo from the corner of her eye in suspicion before she looked back to Yang. The blonde shrugged her shoulders, "It's fine" she answered. Even if the Nevermore followed them, it would likely get shot down by the time it reached Vale. Weiss watched as it continued flapping its wings, growing more distant as the craft flew over the mountains. The creature never failed to keep the airship dead in its sights however. "Oh no way, there's the lake!" said Yang as she looked back outside of the window nearest her. Blake leaned over her shoulder to look.

"Huh... It actually is..." said the Faunus.

"You guys want a better look?" asked the pilot as the craft started to tilt to one side.

"Hah, awesome!" grinned Yang as the airship tilted even further, her hands pressed up against the window as Blake clung onto her tightly with an alarmed expression.

"Wh- What are you doing! No she doesn't!" yelled Weiss as her fingers gripped into the arm-rests of her seat, her back pressed firmly against the chair as she held a look of worry. Neo didn't seem to mind at all as she slowly leaned into Weiss as a result of the tilt.

The pilot chuckled, "You really are her sister" he spoke as the airship tilted back to its original and stable state.

"I- I'm not afraid of heights, I'm afraid of idiot pilots!" snapped Weiss.

"Winter's afraid of heights?" scoffed Yang.

The pilot's voice returned, "Oh? Didn't know that? Mention it next time you see her, she loves talking about it" he replied.

"Hey by the way, earlier you said we could sleep on this thing and be safe, so why did you tell us to wear our seatbelts?" asked Yang.

"To break the ice" replied the pilot bluntly.

"That... works I guess" admitted the blonde, reaching down to unclasp her safety belt.

Blake sighed at her partner, "Does it bother you that much?" she asked.

Yang smiled at the Faunus as she folded her arms behind her head, "I like to get comfy" she answered.

"I hear that, you should see the cockpit, it's a mess" came the pilot's voice, "Should really clean up that pizza though..." he added, his voice growing quiet.

"Can I see it?" asked Yang as she sat up in her chair.

"Nah" answered the pilot.

"What? Why not?" continued Yang.

"Not wearing anything" answered the pilot once more.

Yang looked although she was about to reply but paused as her expression grew more confused. Weiss glared up at the camera, "You're looking at us while you're nude!? Speaking to us even! Just how shameless are you!?" she yelled.

"Ugh, I'm gonna mute the microphone back there. The Princess has this really weird voice-range that just seems to sting me in the ear, you know?" answered the pilot.

"Well she's not wrong, it is a little weird" said Blake.

"Don't ignore me!" yelled Weiss.

"Right, if you need anything knock twice" finished the pilot before an audible click sounded.

"Humph, I refuse to believe that... That absurdity of a man is my sister's personal pilot!" snapped Weiss as she stomped her boot against the ground in frustration. She felt Neo's gloved hand grasp onto her own, it calmed her mood only slightly.

Blake looked up to the camera once again, "If we're sleeping in here I'm covering that up with something..." she said, Yang followed her gaze and nodded in agreement.

"So the sleeping arrangements are decided?" asked Weiss as she looked to the two.

Both Yang and Blake looked back to her as the latter replied. "Well yeah. It'd feel rude to not let you have the bed, it's your ship" she answered.

"Can we at least steal your quilt though? Just so we don't have to sleep on the hard floor?" asked Yang.

"Well... Let me see what's back there first..." nodded Weiss as she unbuckled her seatbelt, standing to her feet. She entered the narrow door between the two pairs of seats that led to the back of the craft. Inside she found it to be very cramped, the mattress taking up the whole floor space. It was more like a closet than anything. Atop the mattress was the quilt, white, thick and rather fluffy. The room itself was heated too, being so near the engines. Weiss took a step back to look to both Yang and Blake. "I don't think staying warm is going to be a problem for me" she answered.

"Oh good, I was worried what would happen to you without heating" answered Yang with a cocky smile.

"...What?" asked Weiss in a confused manner, Blake sighed quietly as she shook her head.

"Nothing Weiss, she's just being an idiot" said the Faunus.

* * *

The windows outside were black as night rolled in. The quilt from the bed had been dragged into the main seating area and laid out across the floor, it was wide enough that it could be folded once over itself, providing not only something soft to lay on but also something to wrap over yourself. And that is exactly what Blake and Yang had done. The camera of the room was covered up with Yang's jacket as she lay besides her partner. Her left hand was upon her hip as she kissed her softly. Blake moaned into her as her arms tightened around the blonde's form, her tongue pushing further into her mouth. It seemed for once they were having a romantic moment that wasn't being ruined.

Their lips parted as they each breathed a soft sigh of air, "It's a shame we're not alone" whispered Yang in a sultry tone, planting several kisses against Blake's neck.

The Faunus smiled in response as her fingers came up to tangle themselves in golden locks of hair, "Are we... Leaving right after Patch...?" she asked in return, breathing in a sharp breath as she felt teeth nip at the skin of her throat.

"Mm... Nah, probably stay there for a day before we head out..." replied Yang as she brought her face up once more, her lips tracing against Blake's gently.

The two indulged in another heated kiss, Blake's hand now gripping Yang's hair as she pushed against her, delighting in the moment they shared together. She felt Yang push back against her as she rolled on top of her, her golden hair falling over their faces. Yang refused to even dare move her prosthetic when they were together like this, she worried that it may seem odd or unnatural to involve it, or even kill the mood. Their kiss broke briefly as the two breathed in another gasp for air before resuming their passion. Yang moved her left hand to press against the bare skin of Blake's stomach before slowly slipping it up and beneath her top.

The Faunus gave out another surprised breath through her nose during the kiss as she felt Yang's fingers slide further up towards her chest. She shivered as they finally came to a halt and squeezed. Even though the two had been together since they left Vale now, it had taken this long for them to progress beyond just kissing and cuddling in a bed. The kiss broke once more as Yang gazed down at Blake with her lilac eyes, the both of them were blushing and smiling.

"Too much for yah?" asked Yang as she gave another squeeze with her hand.

Blake exhaled a breath as her hands came to rest upon Yang's shoulders, her nails gently grazing at her skin as she raked them across. "Who do you take me for...?" whispered Blake in response before pulling her girlfriend back down to continue their night of romance. Though the Faunus understood it wouldn't go beyond simple groping until they were at least somewhere more... Private, for now this was good enough.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

A rhythmic beat sounded in her ear, it was muffled but clear and with each one she gradually began to stir from her slumber. It was not the only sound she could hear though, there was also the hum of the engines that had helped her fall asleep in the first place. The heat in the cramped space had only grown more intense with the addition of two people occupying it, but it was a comfortable temperature. Not hot enough to sweat, but not cold enough to need a quilt. Her ice blue eyes had crept open, her head was resting atop Neo's chest who still slept soundly. The mattress beneath them was soft and comfortable, making it difficult for Weiss to want to wake herself up properly, she just wanted to lay still a little longer, enjoying her relaxation as well as the soothing company of her lover. She smiled softly as she closed her eyes once more, lulling herself back into a deep sleep.

Suddenly the deafening scream of a man came through the speakers. Weiss' eyes shot open, she felt the craft had tilted, they were crashing! Neo had also been startled awake from the scream as Weiss held onto her tightly, giving out her own scream of panic as she heard Yang and Blake do the same.

The scream of the man shifted into absurd laughter as the aircraft righted itself, Weiss could feel her heart pounding hard as she glanced around, Neo had an arm wrapped tightly around her form. It took a second for Weiss to realise what had happened. "Y- You idiot!" she screamed as she buried her face against Neo's chest, annoyed that the pilot had caused her to react as she did. Neo on the other hand looked more angry than anything as her eyes narrowed up at the speakers, she held Weiss in an almost protective manner.

"Asshole!" came Yang's voice from behind the thin door.

The pilot continued to laugh in hysterics before his voice started to calm, "Oh you're killin' me, that was gold!" he laughed, "That screaming! I think I can hear ringing!" he continued.

Weiss sighed heavily before her eyes glanced up at Neo, "How is your arm?" she asked quietly. Neo's right arm was still in a sling and she hadn't taken it off since leaving Atlas, that being a result of Winter telling her to keep it on until she felt she was ready to start using it again. Her mismatched gaze glanced down towards her right arm, her fingers flexing as she gave a slight expression of discomfort in response to the action. "Better then?" asked Weiss with a gentle smile. Neo looked to meet her gaze and nodded in response, donning a smile of her own in the process. She kept her left arm around her, their forms pressed against one another and sharing their heat. She felt her partner's slender leg brush against her own but with a lack of intent. Weiss adjusted herself slightly to crawl further up Neo's form so that their faces met. Her delicate hand placing itself upon Neo's cheek as it brushed against her smooth skin in a loving manner. Weiss took extra care as to not accidentally nudge Neo's right arm, it made the position she found herself in unsatisfactory but if it would spare Neo some slight pain then it was worth it.

Neo's left hand stroked up the back of her partner, fingers tracing across her spine which made the target of her affections shiver with delight. The hand came to rest firmly upon the back of her neck as it slowly pulled her down into a loving kiss. Weiss indulged in the interaction and responded in kind as she tilted her head slightly, making the deepening of the kiss more comfortable for herself as the two opened their mouths wider for a more passionate action to take place. Neo's hand softly squeezed at the back of Weiss' neck during the heated moment, the silver-haired woman giving out a muffled moan of content into the kiss. How lucky she was, thought Neo to herself. To have someone as beautiful as Weiss this close to her in not only relationship but also in a more practical sense. She thought that the only person that would have been able to sate her carnal desires would be Yang, but in Weiss she found something softer, more delicate and compassionate than just simple lust.

Their kiss broke as Weiss pulled her head back steadily and in a pleased manner. She gave out a sigh as she blushed and smiled down at her girlfriend. "Neo..." she whispered as she lowered herself slightly to rest her head against her collarbone. Mismatched eyes blinked into ice blue, once more mimicking the eyes of her partner. Weiss still did not understand why she would sometimes don her eyes, but she guessed it must have been something romantic, for she only ever did it when the two were together in a similar fashion as the one currently taking place. She smiled back at her as she planted a kiss against her head.

"Why are you whispering her name? What are you guys even doing?" came the intrusive voice of the pilot through the speakers.

"What? I'm not whispering anything" answered Yang's faint voice from behind the thin door once again.

Weiss' blush grew more intense, could the pilot actually hear her? "Not you, the Princess" continued the pilot, "She whispered her friend's name. It was like this" paused the pilot. Weiss' eyes widened, as did Neo's, in response to what they heard next. The pilot had put on a poor feminine voice as he moaned in an exaggerated fashion, " _N- Neo...!_ " he cried out. "... _B- But that's forbidden love! Ah~!_ " he mocked, followed by another poor impression of a moan that seemed to come straight out of a low-budget porn flick.

"Shut up, shut up! SHUT UP!" repeated Weiss as her voice grew louder with each repetition, she covered her face with her hands as she felt Neo try and stand up, she had murder in her eyes.

"Hey knock it off, they can do whatever they want and you shouldn't be listening!" came Yang's voice, it was some relief to Weiss to know that her friend always had her back when it counted.

"Woah now, chill a little. I ain't got nothing against it. Lesbians are awesome" replied the pilot casually.

"That's not what I was-" paused Yang's voice.

The pilot inhaled sharply as he seemed to come to a realization, "Does big sis know? Does she approve? You know that lady has her standards and nobody is good enough for her precious little Weiss in her eyes-" the voice halted. "... Shit... Sorry Weiss, I didn't mean to..." he spoke, and for the first time seeming to actually have some shred of sympathy in his voice as he referred to Winter's condition by mistake.

Weiss remained silent, too flustered and annoyed to care for the fact he mentioned Winter. She did however have to restrain Neo who was more than willing to march out of the door in her underwear with a blade in hand. She succeeded in keeping the short woman from making any mistakes.

There was an awkward silence aboard the ship, eventually the pilot's voice broke it once more. "So... We're getting pretty close to Patch now. We're over the Forever Fall already" he spoke.

"Wait, really?" asked Yang, turning her attention away from the door that separated herself and Blake from Neo and Weiss. She was already clothed as she stood up and peered out from the window. Below she could see nothing but a red canopy. Blake shortly appeared behind her, looking over her shoulder at the scenery. "This thing really does go fast, you must be pretty tired by now though" assumed the blonde.

"Tired? Why would I be tired? In case you didn't notice, this thing doesn't have pedals. It moves by itself, _insane I know_ " answered the pilot.

Yang looked up to the camera with narrowed eyes, "No you jerk, you must be tired because you haven't slept" she replied.

"... But I did" responded the pilot as if the answer should have been obvious.

"What?" asked a rather concerned Blake as she also turned to face the camera.

"Am I also a bat now? Do I not sleep? Am I a stalker of the night?" asked the pilot.

Yang approached the camera, "You... Fell asleep while driving this thing!?" she yelled, "We could have crashed!" she added.

"Yeaaah, could have. But didn't. Besides I don't get paid for nights, what are we gonna crash into anyway? Clouds?" replied the pilot.

"You are the worst! When did you fall asleep!?" continued Yang.

"Straight after I muted the microphone back there" answered the man casually once again.

Yang couldn't believe it, they were talking normally while their pilot slept at the wheel of an aircraft. "Does... Does this thing have some sort of automatic mode?" asked Yang, trying to find some way to excuse the situation in her head.

"I like to change my own gears thank you" answered the pilot.

"N- No! Like, like..." paused Yang as she thought to herself.

"Like _maaaagic~?_ " asked the pilot.

Yang grit her teeth and kicked the door with her boot, "Just get us to Patch before we blow up or something!" she responded before turning around to sit down in her seat with a huff, clearly annoyed and concerned for the safety of her friends.

"Chill. I ain't Winter's personal pilot for nothing, lady. Have a little faith" he replied.

"Faith is what probably kept us alive last night..." sighed Blake as her golden gaze remained locked onto the camera.

"Oh snap, that one hit deep girl. Like, come on..." answered the pilot.

* * *

The rather sizeable cabin had been abandoned for some time now, but not long enough for it to fall into any state of repair. The surrounding green trees rustled in the wind as a soft humming approached the humble building, four white ribbons streamed after the aircraft as it hovered low and steady over the trees as it neared the house. One of its lower wings knocked over the small chimney, sending clumps of stone clattering down the side of the wooden roof.

"Fuck" commented the pilot casually as the airship turned to start lowering itself in front of the house.

"What was that bang?" asked a very concerned Yang as she glanced out the window.

"Uhh... Think it was your chimney?" responded the pilot.

"What!? Why'd you knock down my chimney!" yelled Yang as she banged her fist against the door of the cockpit.

"Hey! Your chimney hit my ship! Why'd you build it so high? It scratched the paint!" answered the pilot.

"I don't care about your paint, fix my damn chimney!" yelled Yang once more as the airship touched down upon the grass, the door-ramp slowly beginning to open.

"I'll do it later, get off my case already!" yelled the pilot back in response as Weiss, Neo and Blake began exiting the vehicle, more for the fact they didn't want to chance being spectator to an endless argument than actually wanting to get off the ship.

Blake was the first to step down and onto the grass. It felt relieving to be on firm solid ground once again. Her eyes looked forward towards the large cabin, it was clear that it had been well cared for when there was actually somebody around to do so. Her eyes glanced to the path that led up to the door. Yang stood out from the ship and besides her, moving past and towards the door. She pulled a key from her pocket as the three followed her. The pilot remained aboard his ship, he would be their personal transport from here on so they didn't have to worry about him suddenly flying off without a word. Though at this rate it wouldn't surprise any of them if he did.

The key fit perfectly into its place and with a twist and a push the door swung open with a creak. "Come on in I guess, make yourselves at home" sighed Yang as she entered the building, pulling her jacket off as she tossed it over towards the back of a sofa, landing upon it as she glanced around. The three others followed in, Neo closing the door behind them. If one thing was immediately evident to the group, it was the fact that it was cold. Nobody had been in the cabin for a few weeks at best, so there was no fire that could have been lit to warm it up. Yang made her way over to the fireplace, kneeling down as she set about lighting it.

Weiss seemed a little surprised by how small Yang's home was, not that it was a bad thing, it was cosy in a sense. Probably more so once the fire would be lit. She looked to both Neo and Blake, both of their eyes were darting form every corner of the room they were currently in, their curiosity for Yang's private life set ablaze. "So... How long are we staying here?" asked Weiss as she approached Yang.

The blonde finally sparked a small fire in the fireplace before turning to peer at Weiss. "Probably just a day, maybe two if we're not feeling ready. Hopefully Neo gets rid of her sling by then" she answered as she turned her attention back to the fire, grasping a poker that was leaning against the stone frame of the fireplace and poking at the logs within to urge the fire on.

"Where do you want me sleeping?" asked Weiss as she folded her arms, glancing down the only hallway in the building. At the end of it was a closed door, and on both sides of the hall were two additional doors each.

"Well... Ruby's room has two beds" answered Yang. She was hesitant to let Weiss use Ruby's room if only because she knew she wouldn't be sleeping alone.

Weiss nodded, her attempt at being subtle was poor. "O- Oh. I suppose that works" she answered, ice blue eyes briefly glancing over to Neo who was currently searching more thoroughly throughout the building. "Why does it have two?" she asked, turning back to Yang.

"We used to share a room, guess we just never got rid of my old bed" replied Yang, halting her poking at the fire as a suitable blaze had been nurtured within the fireplace. She placed the hot poker back against its resting spot as she stood to her feet. The fire quickly began to warm the surrounding area as it crackled and snapped, burning at the logs inside. "We got food in the fridge by the way, help yourselves" added Yang, speaking louder for the rest to hear.

"Actually, how do you have power here? Your house is fairly... Isolated" asked Weiss, and she was right. Yang's house was quite far from any real town or village that could be found on Patch.

"There's a shed down the hill with a generator. Dad normally throws a good amount of dust in it before he travels anywhere, so the fridge isn't spoiled by the time he gets back" answered Yang, moving over to the sofa and promptly sitting down on it with a relaxed sigh.

"That doesn't sound very cost efficient" spoke Weiss as she held her hands against her hips.

"Probably not, but it's nice and quiet here so I feel like we pay for that too, instead of being in a loud town or something" replied Yang.

Weiss looked up to see Neo had vanished from sight, but she then noticed that the door furthest at the end of the hall was slightly ajar. She was exploring no doubt. "Well, I suppose you're right. Peace and quiet is a luxury" nodded Weiss as her eyes peered back towards the blonde who smiled back at her in agreement.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Neo's eyes shifted from corner to corner. Before her were two beds, one with a red quilt, the other with a yellow one. Ruby's room, and once upon a time Yang's too. She turned to her right and saw various books and items upon a shelf. She approached it as her eyes narrowed at the spines of the books, reading their titles. They were mostly stories of adventure and action, nothing much else. Her mismatched eyes drifted to a peculiar set of wooden carved statues upon the shelf, they were statues of Beowolves and other Grimm. It was a rather distasteful object to put up on display, or maybe Ruby was simply trying to desensitize herself to them?

Her gaze drifted lower down the shelf, finding various objects of no import. Her hand reached to a framed picture as she picked it up. She recognized all three people in the picture, the first that came clearly to her was Yang, she looked younger than she was now but not by much. The second prominent figure was her father, Taiyang who stood in the middle with a hand upon the shoulders of both girls. That second girl of course being Ruby. She wore a bright smile on her face as she looked to the camera that had taken the shot.

Neo stared at the picture, her eyes focusing on Ruby. They narrowed as slowly her expression started to change. She clenched her jaw as her grip tightened on the wooden frame of the picture. What was she smiling about? What did she have to be so happy about? She gave thought to throwing the picture against the ground, to smash the glass and tear up the photo inside. A voice halted her. "Neo?" came Weiss' call, soft and delicate. Neo remained silent and paused for a second before breathing in a slow breath. Her expression softened as her grip on the picture loosened. She placed it back upon the shelf and turned, her face now curious as she looked to Weiss, tilting her head to one side. "What were you looking at?" asked Weiss idly as she approached her partner.

Neo turned to point at the framed picture upon the shelf as she drew Weiss' attention to it. The woman looked to it and Neo noticed a subtle frown upon her features as her eyes glanced to Ruby in the picture.

"They look happy, don't they?" asked Weiss. Neo paused and gave a nod in response. "I hope we can find her..." she added before looking back to her partner with a soft smile. Neo looked rather... indifferent to the idea which briefly confused Weiss. Though perhaps it only made sense, Neo didn't know Ruby like she did. She watched as her girlfriend turned to glance around the room, idly walking forward as she did so. Weiss watched her with her ice blue eyes, following after as she spoke. "Yang and Blake went to the airdock to ask if they'd seen her father, they should be back later" she spoke.

Neo didn't look back at her, more intent on exploring the room as she picked up another object, some sort of snow-globe as she flipped it upside down in her hand.

Weiss looked to the object, inside the globe was a miniature Beacon tower, the artificial snow inside falling over it. "Have you been to an academy before?" she asked. Neo's eyes only seemed to focus on the object in her hand as she never gave a response. "Are you... Hungry or thirsty? I can find you something if you want" continued Weiss. Neo was behaving strangely and she began to wonder if it was something she had unknowingly caused.

The smaller woman's eyes darted to Weiss as she placed down the snow-globe back where she found it. She gave a single nod to her question.

"Oh, really?" asked Weiss, she gave a smile. Perhaps Neo was just hungry? "What do you want?" she asked once again. Neo pointed a finger at her. Weiss' expression dipped slightly, "You... Want to...? Here?" she responded with an unsure expression. Neo nodded once and took a step towards her, which caused Weiss to take one away. "Neo I don't think we should... This is..." she began, glancing around the room that they were in. Neo's eyes blinked, and when they opened they revealed two magenta shades. She took several steps forward towards her partner as she wrapped her arms around her back, catching her arms in the embrace and pinning them against her form as she leaned her head up slightly for a kiss. "N- Neo, wait-" stuttered Weiss as she stumbled, the back of her legs pressed against something as she fell backwards onto a bed, Neo falling with her. Upon the bed Weiss was unable to lean her head away from Neo who locked her lips against her own.

There was... Something different about the kiss. It was as if the love Neo would usually display to her was gone, and replaced only with a desire, an urge. Perhaps she was stressed for some reason, or that she felt a need to unwind or relax. Her mouth was opened as Neo pressed down harder against her, her tongue invading her mouth with a lustful intent. There was a scent in the air, one that was familiar. Weiss opened her eyes as she glanced to the side, the quilts beneath her were red. Her eyes widened, she couldn't do this here, not on this bed. She tried to pull her arms free but Neo still had her own wrapped around them. Surely she would feel that she was trying to pull them away though, and allow her to do so?

She felt Neo's leg press up between her own, she gave out a muffled sound in protest as she squirmed. There was no way she would be able to do something like this in Ruby's bed, her friend's bed. The kiss continued without pause as finally Neo retracted one of her arms from around Weiss to hastily start undoing the buttons of her coat. With an arm free Weiss reached up to Neo's shoulder as she tried to push her back, yet she refused to move as her hand continued to unbutton her dress until she was done. She broke the kiss as she sat up on Weiss, her hands coming down to pull apart her coat, revealing her pale form beneath. "Neo, not here!" yelled Weiss, now finally having a chance to speak as she covered her chest with her arms.

Her partner looked down at her, stunned by the sound of her voice. She looked confused, at a loss. Unsure as to why she didn't want to do what she wanted.

Weiss looked up to her, still gasping for air after the long kiss, "I- I can't, not in this room..." she admitted. She wouldn't mind spending some private time with her partner but it had to be somewhere else. Preferably not in the house they were in at all. Neo glanced around, as if trying to figure out what Weiss meant. "This... It's Ruby's room, she's my friend" she stated as her hands came to pull her coat back together to hide her body.

Neo still seemed confused, bringing her hands to her own coat to undo the single button upon it. Weiss reached her hands up to grab her wrists before she managed to undress any further.

"No, Neo, listen. We can't" stated Weiss firmly and clearly. Neo narrowed her eyes slightly at the rejection before she tried to press herself down upon her partner. In an attempt to halt a second drawn-out kiss Weiss attempted to push back on any part of her that she could. And at the time, her hand landed against her throat. As soon as she pushed against her neck Neo recoiled, falling back off the bed in an alarmed state. Weiss' eyes widened at the sudden response as she sat up, looking over to where her partner had fallen. Neo was staring back up at her, one hand clutching her own throat in an almost protective manner. Her eyes were a stark white. "I'm sorry! I didn't meant to-!" began Weiss, she didn't know why Neo was so sensitive around that area but she gauged that it had to be something traumatic in her past. The way she responded, it was a flinch.

Neo was shaken. The rejection hit her hard as she clambered up to her feet and briskly made for the exit. She felt like a mess, she felt embarrassed and shamed. She didn't want Weiss to see her like that and so the only option she found was to leave her sight for the time being. She got to the door and was halted as two arms wrapped around her waist tightly, pulling her back against the form of her lover.

"It's not your fault..." came Weiss' soft voice, whispering her words into her ear. "You just need to understand, I'm not pushing you away and I'm not saying that I don't want to. But there is a time and a place..." she said.

Neo turned her head slightly at her words, her eyes blinking back into their usual mismatched colours. She felt Weiss' arms tighten around her in a comforting manner.

"I'm sorry I yelled, and I'm sorry that I pushed you back... But you weren't listening..." continued Weiss. Neo's hands came down to her arms, slowly prying them from her. Weiss feared the worst, that she was about to lose this girl she had fallen for. She watched as Neo turned around, reaching out her hand to grasp hers. Weiss looked down to it before back up at Neo who frowned. She brought her hand up to her own heart and lowered her head. An apology. Weiss' smile returned slightly, "It's... It's okay. Just pay more attention next time, won't you?" she asked. Neo nodded once before taking a step back. Her hand still grasped Weiss' as she pulled her through the door of the room. They were now stood in the hall as Neo tilted her head up slightly.

She had pulled Weiss from the room after noting now that she really didn't want to do anything romantic in it. But now that they were at least outside of it... Weiss leaned into the gentle kiss, placing her lips softly against Neo's before parting once more.

Weiss smiled more brightly now, "Why don't we go sit on the couch?" she asked. Neo smiled herself and nodded as the two turned hand-in-hand, making their way to the living room. Yang and Blake were yet to return as they sat down in front of the fire, the sun outside was beginning to set. Neo leaned herself against Weiss as they sat besides one another, cuddling together before the warm heat of the open flames. Weiss lowered her gaze, for a while now she had been thinking further on her relationship with Neo. It was difficult at times with her not being able to speak and she felt like there was a loss of communication between the two as a result. That there would forever be words they couldn't say to one another.

But they were managing, in their own way they were discovering things about one another that only they would know. Weiss was learning that Neo's body language was extremely telling in how she was feeling or what she was trying to convey, as well as her eyes playing a large part in that. So what did she think about them as a couple? She turned her attention to the girl snuggling up to her.

"Neo...?" asked Weiss quietly, catching her attention as eyes came to land upon her. "How do you think we're doing?" she asked awkwardly, her own gaze shifting aside.

Neo tilted her head at the odd question before leaning her head up slightly to kiss at her neck once. That was her answer.

Weiss looked to her from the corner of her eye, "I've... I think I've been wanting to tell you something. I'm not sure how to word it though, and I fear I'll make a fool of myself" she spoke. Neo watched intently, showing that she was listening with attention. "I'm not good with relationships, I've never really had any before so I don't know if I'm making a-... " she paused, she couldn't think that what they shared, and what she wanted, was a mistake. Shaking her head she breathed in a breath of air, exhaling loudly. "Neo..." she stated, looking towards the smaller girl in her arms. "Neo, I am in love with you. Or... I... Yes. Yes I love you" confessed Weiss.

Neo looked stunned by the words, she seemed uncertain, her mouth slightly parted in surprise as her eyes stared unblinking at the woman that had just professed her love to her. She always believed that Weiss loved her unconditionally, but to actually hear it... It made her feel emotions she had never felt before, not even Yang had set off this intense sensation within her. Love?

"I... I know that we've had bumps, and sometimes things don't seem like they're going so well... But I understand. You're... Different, you've obviously had a difficult time growing up. But so have I, so I... I get it. It's hard, not knowing how the world works. Not knowing what's accepted and what isn't. That's why I forgive you for the bumps we've had, and maybe together we can learn how to get by it. We can learn how to be... Like everyone else? Or we can just be us..." smiled Weiss, her face blushing a deep shade of red as she spilled out her heart.

Neo continued to listen to her words with disbelief, her heart was pounding harder than she'd ever felt it before. Her cheeks were blushing and her stomach felt... funny. All this time she had disillusioned herself to what love was, believing to know it before she had even experienced it herself. This had to be it. This was love. She blinked as her eyes took on a form that surprised Weiss. She'd never seen it before. Neo's eyes, they were both hues of varying bright colours. Red, blue, green, yellow, pink, white. They were full of life and splendour. Neo seemed almost like she was lost on how to react, but a smile was appearing upon her face, a bright and wide smile unlike any Weiss had seen on her prior to this moment. Neo sat up straight suddenly, moving her hands away from her partner as she held them together, trying to form the shape of a heart with them. She nodded once, twice, three times.

Neopolitan was in love with Weiss Schnee.

Her lips parted as she tried to speak, soundless words of confession that would never reach her partner's ears. Weiss sat up herself as she halted the movement of her lips with her own. Neo paused her actions as the delicate kiss caught her full attention. Slowly her arms lowered and wrapped themselves around her partner. It never went beyond a simple kiss upon the lips, but that was because it served a different purpose than just one of pleasure or lust. It was a declaration of their mutual feelings. Their hearts were beating as fast as one another and they could both feel it. This moment of bliss felt like it lasted an hour as they parted slowly, opening their eyes to look upon one another. Neo's own eyes still a rainbow of colour.

Weiss gave a soft chuckle, "Is it... Safe to presume you feel the same way then?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer. Neo nodded in response as her hands stroked up and down her back in a loving manner. "Good... Yes, that's good" nodded Weiss before leaning forward to plant another kiss against the lips of her girlfriend. She felt Neo press against her as they both fell upon the sofa into a laying position.

The fire continued to crackle and pop, the sun setting behind the trees outside as the room was lit in a warm hue that flickered with shadows. The fire burned as brightly and intensely as their love for one another at that moment.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

"Mistral?" asked Yang as she gave the man in the booth a curious look. She and Blake were at the airdock, inquiring as to the whereabouts of Taiyang and Ruby.

"That's right" confirmed the man, "I remember your father asking the same question, he followed after your sister not too long ago" he answered; turning his attention to the east. "I'd be careful if you're heading out that way though. Some strange news coming from the passengers that arrived from there lately" he added.

"Like what?" asked Blake as she stood besides Yang.

"Well..." paused the man as he looked back towards the two. "The usual being Grimm and bandits running amok, but lately they say it's been getting worse and the capital still won't send out reinforcements. All they get for protection is themselves and any kind hunter who crosses their path" he replied.

Yang nodded to the man, "We'll be fine. Probably. Thanks for letting us know, it really means a lot" she said.

"Any time Yang, I owe your father a great deal so I'm happy to help" answered the man with a smile. He waved his hand as the two turned to leave.

"Stay safe!" called out Yang with a wave as herself and Blake left the airdock.

After they were further away from the dock Blake turned her gaze to Yang as they walked, "Mistral is pretty big, how do you think we'll find them?" she asked.

Yang sighed softly and shrugged her shoulders. "Dunno. I guess we'd need to get to the airdock they would have landed at, ask around there if anybody saw them" she replied.

"We might be able to just call them, though from what I hear the signal in Mistral isn't the best" said Blake as she turned her attention forward. They were already upon another dirt path as they passed through a light forested area. The leaves above were glinting from the setting sun, providing their natural green colour with an orange glimmer. Patch was a relatively peaceful place with the Grimm only being contained to smaller pockets in the more desolate parts of the island. People rarely had anything to worry about and so they attracted little attention.

"We'll figure it out" nodded Yang with confidence as they continued onwards.

The wind scattered fallen leaves along the path they walked and rustled at the overarching branches above them. Now and then a creak of wood or the snap of a twig could be heard in the distance, but it was never the cause of any suspicion as a squirrel sprinted across the path and climbed a tree. The air was fresh with the scent of nature and faint hints of the ocean that surrounded the small island.

Blake stood upon a twig that snapped beneath her foot, she glanced down at the sound while she continued to walk. "Does anything bad ever happen here?" she asked.

"Yeah, low-flying airships" snorted Yang; referring to the pilot.

Blake smiled at her words, "He is a little strange..." she commented as she looked up to the sky which was obscured by the branches.

"A little?" asked Yang.

"Okay... He _is_ strange" answered the Faunus as she corrected herself. Her golden gaze set upon the road ahead of them once more. "How are you feeling anyway? About all... All of this. With Ruby being missing, your father too and... Neo being in your house" she asked.

"You still really don't like her, huh?" replied Yang as her lilac eyes shifted to her partner.

"And you do?" asked Blake in response as she raised a brow in question.

Yang shook her head, "It's not... I mean, I kinda got used to her being around is all. Besides, she's sorta changed. You know what I mean?" she asked.

"So you think she's safe to be around now?" continued Blake as she questioned Yang further.

"Uhh... Yeah, guess I do. With Weiss around she barely even looks at me any more either" answered the blonde.

Blake tapped her chin in thought, "If Weiss wasn't around, do you think we'd let Neo tag along now that Winter isn't with us?" she questioned.

Yang's eyes glanced down to the ground as she pondered upon the question. "Uhm... Well she's still useful right? So probably?" came her answer. The Faunus never offered a response as she remained silent to the answer. "Why, would you kick her out?" asked Yang as she prodded her.

"Maybe" replied Blake.

"That's not much of an answer" frowned Yang.

Blake narrowed her eyes slightly, "I just don't like her" she answered firmly.

"We won't need to put up with her forever, just until we find Ruby and dad" stated Yang.

"You think she'll just accept that?" asked Blake as she looked to her partner once more.

"She'll have to" answered Yang. Her eyes looked up to the sky ahead, the sun was setting quickly and the night would soon be upon them. "Anyway, we should probably hurry up. I don't feel like stumbling around in the dark tonight" she added.

"Speak for yourself" smirked Blake.

* * *

The door to the cabin opened as Blake stepped in, followed by Yang who closed the door behind her. Before she turned around she heard a yelp from her partner. She spun on her heel to see that Blake was covering her eyes and stepping back towards her. "Do they have clothes on!?" asked Blake, pointing one hand towards the direction of the couch. Yang sighed silently to herself as she made her way idly towards the couch, upon it was Weiss and Neo, fully clothed and asleep in each other's arms.

"They do" confirmed Yang, keeping her voice lower than usual to avoid waking the pair. Blake slowly lowered her hand from her eyes. "Why does it worry you anyway? We've both seen Weiss with less on" asked Yang curiously; back when they studied in Beacon they shared a room after all.

"Getting dressed and sleeping with someone are two very different things. Then there's Neo" replied Blake with a soured expression as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Why are they even on the couch? Didn't you say they could use Ruby's room?" she asked.

"Well, yeah. But this is actually better I think" said Yang, once more sparing a glance towards the two. Weiss had her arms wrapped firmly around her partner who buried her face against her neck. "You know it's kinda cute" smiled Yang softly before she walked around the couch and made for the hallway.

"Are you really calling Neo cute now?" asked Blake as she watched her pass by.

"Weiss balances it out" shrugged Yang before entering one of the rooms.

Blake moved towards the fireplace as she felt its heat flow across her form. She peered back towards the two sleeping on the couch; Neo had her back to her while Weiss would have been able to look at her if her eyes were open. Weiss was wearing a gentle smile in her sleep.

Shortly after did Yang return from the room she entered, she was dragging a large quilt in her hand. She arrived to the front of the couch as she draped it over the two before turning her attention back to Blake. "I don't know about you but I'd rather not catch a cold tomorrow because they decided to sleep there" she said.

"What time is it anyway?" asked Blake, glancing around the room for any clocks.

"Tired?" responded Yang as she approached her partner from behind, wrapping her arms around her as she rested her head against her shoulder.

Blake reached up to place her hand against Yang's, "Not really, I was just wondering" she answered.

"You seem a little high-strung today... C'mon, what's up?" asked Yang, tightening her embrace slightly. The Faunus remained silent. "Blake..." whispered the blonde.

"It's the Fang..." responded Blake.

"The Fang? I thought we dealt with them?" asked Yang.

"In Vale... Sure, but Mistral is where their leader resides; Sienna Khan" continued Blake. "Adam only led the Vale group..." she added.

Yang paused, "Then we just deal with them if they get in our way" she answered in a sure fashion. "Mistral's a big place too, we might not even run into them" she said before loosening her arms from around her partner.

Blake turned to hold Yang's hands in her own. "I'm sure it's going to be fine, I just don't like being reminded of the past, of who I used to be. _What_ I used to be..." she replied, her head lowering slightly in shame.

Yang squeezed her hand in her own; avoiding doing so with the prosthetic for obvious reasons. "Don't worry about it, you've got me looking out for you now. If any White Fang show up I'm gonna punch them to the ground before you even look at them" she smiled.

With those words Blake smiled in return, "Thanks Yang... I really do love you" she nodded.

"And I love you too, token Faunus girl" grinned the blonde.

"You idiot" smirked Blake as she leaned forward to place a kiss against her partner's lips. She meant for it to only last a second but Yang had released her hands and wrapped her arms around her in order to prolong the contact. It quickly dawned on the Faunus that the kiss was becoming more than just a kiss as Yang pressed harder against her. She let out a soft moan as her hands came to rest against her girlfriend's rear.

The kiss broke as Yang gave out a soft sigh, "Wanna see my room by the way?" she asked with a cheeky grin on her face.

"What are you, twelve?" chuckled Blake.

"I'll show you my comics" replied Yang with a soft laugh. She loosened her arms from around her slightly as she started walking backwards, leading her partner down the hall and towards the door of her room.

"You know just because I like reading books doesn't mean I like comics too" answered Blake as the two entered the room. Inside it was rather empty with a large bed, a bedside table with a vase of withered sunflowers, a bookshelf in the corner filled with anything but books.

"You're such a nerd" laughed Yang as she kicked the door shut behind Blake. She turned to shove her partner towards the bed.

Blake stumbled from the shove as she fell onto her back upon the soft bed. "And you're an idiot brute" she answered as her watchful golden gaze remained locked upon her partner. She noticed she had kicked off her shoes and removed her jacket, revealing the orange tank top beneath.

"I don't think you'll be calling me an idiot for much longer..." said Yang; her voice taking on a sultry tone as she took a step towards the bed.

"Wait... Is this...?" paused Blake as her face took on a deep shade of red. They had always talked about doing something romantic when they had the chance, but for some reason she never seemed to expect it to actually happen so suddenly.

"Don't get all shy on me now, Kitty..." cooed Yang, her hands coming down towards the bottom of her top as she pulled it up and over her head; revealing her form beneath. She flicked the top at her partner as it struck her in the face.

Blake clambered to pull the top away from her face so that she could see the sight in front of her. As she did she could see that Yang had already crawled onto the bed and over her. "Y- Yang..." stuttered the Faunus in an almost timid voice.

"Blakey..." whispered Yang as her lips brushed against her partner's. "You want this right...?" she asked, her seductive lilac eyes staring intensely into Blake's golden set.

Slowly Blake's hands traced down Yang's arching spine. One remained firmly against her while the other daringly slipped down the back of her baggy pants; nails grazing over skin. "Y- Yeah..." replied the Faunus quietly as her lips remained parted, her eyes filled with desires as she stared back up at her lover.

Yang lowered herself fully against Blake as she pressed their lips together into a fiery kiss of passion, she tilted her head slightly and began slowly grinding her form against her partner's as she gave out a soft moan in delight. Blake's grip upon the blonde's rear tightened as she indulged in the kiss, her other hand stroking up her partner's back lovingly as her breath became somewhat struggled.

As if sensing her desire for air Yang broke the kiss and the two gasped. "Blake..." said Yang in a drawn fashion as she kissed and nipped at her jaw. Her left hand moved between the two and slid down Blake's body until it slipped beneath her pants. Blake's eyes widened at the touch as she took in a sharp gasp. She struggled to hold in her voice as she moaned Yang's name. The two pressed into another deep kiss as their passion grew more intense.

Blake squirmed slightly beneath the touch of her partner; the places she touched, the sensations she felt; all of it was bliss. She moved her own hand around her partner's waist and to her front as she bravely attempted to return the favour. She felt Yang bite down upon her lip as her hand came into contact with a sensitive spot and she could hear the blonde's sweet and soft moans, her breaths for air. "I love you" gasped Blake as the kiss briefly parted.

"I- love you" repeated Yang as their lips drew to a close once more. The window of the room was beginning to fog up as the two continued, intertwined as they were and lost in lust for one another.

Blake could barely focus her thoughts but one thing did come to mind; was this the future of her relationship with Yang? The idea excited her, to be able to share countless moments like this one with the person she loved so deeply. Soon enough she found she was unable to control the volume of her voice as she started to call her partner's name loudly but she didn't care. Nobody could hear them as far out as they were.

Except for one.

Neo's vision was covered by Weiss' neck as she continued to bury her face against it but she was awake; she could hear the sounds from where she was. The lids of her eyes closed half way as she reached for Weiss' hand; bringing it up to cover her ear before she closed her eyes tight once again.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

It was an early morning and the rising sun was cresting over the cabin and the local forest that surrounded it. There was a slight chill to the wind and in the distance birds were singing. There were no other noticeable sounds around; being out so far from the rest of civilization as they were.

Yang was already awake as she approached one of the windows inside the house. The sun shined down a golden light through it and onto her face as she gripped the bottom of the window and pulled it upwards; allowing the gentle cold breeze to flow through the building. She inhaled deeply the scent of the morning air and smiled as her lilac eyes looked to the surrounding area of grass and the bordering light forest. A soft groan came from behind her as she turned to see Weiss sleeping upon the couch with Neo laying on top of her; her head resting atop her chest.

The blonde grinned as she made her way towards the couch, leaning forward and looking down over Weiss. She placed her cold hands against either side of the sleeping girl's face and spoke in a gentle tone, "Weiss... Weiss wake up..." She smirked as her friend's expression tightened in discomfort. "Weiss your card was declined..." continued Yang as Weiss let out a whimper in her sleep, turning her head to the side. "They closed your account... They're taking your stuff as payment...!" Weiss turned her head to the other side as Yang's words continued to poison her dreams.

Her voice was sluggish in her sleepy state as she groaned out, "M- My clothes...!"

Yang decided she had caused enough harm as her voice raised, "Everyone's laughing at you Weiss, wake up!"

"I'm still relevant!" Weiss sat up suddenly, her eyes darting open with worry as Neo fell off the couch with a thud. It took a moment for Weiss to realise she was just dreaming as she glanced down towards Neo who was rubbing her forehead with her hand. She felt two cold hands slap against both of her cheeks and she gave out a yelp at the cold sting.

"Good morning!"

She turned to glare at the culprit that had disrupted her peaceful slumber, "Yang!" Weiss' hands came swatting at her as she leaned over the couch in an attempt to hit her back, but she was out of reach as the blonde simply laughed while taking a few steps back.

"Yang, stop teasing her," Blake's softly spoken voice carried from across the room as she entered from the hallway. Weiss noticed that her movements seemed less stiff as she turned to face her, still leaning halfway off of the couch. She felt a hand grab her wrist and yank her forward as she fell to the floor with a thud; Yang had pulled her when she was distracted.

"Done!" Yang's smug voice was accompanied by a matching smile as she made her way towards Blake who offered a sigh in return.

Weiss grumbled as she looked up, Neo was knelt down besides her; offering a hand to her with a smile. "Ah, Neo..." Smiled Weiss in return as she took her hand into her own. The two paused for a second before Neo lifted her up to her feet. It seemed although all the frustration towards Yang had vanished from Weiss.

Yang watched the two as she stood besides Blake, leaning towards her. "Pfft. _Sappy_ ," she snorted before Blake's hand pressed against her face and slowly pushed her back.

"You could learn something from them you know?" Blake glanced towards her partner through the corner of her eye as she moved her hand away from her face.

Yang paused to regard Blake with an unsure gaze before chuckling and waving her hand dismissively, "Nah." The Faunus sighed and rolled her eyes.

Weiss peered back over towards the two as she spoke, "When are we leaving might I ask?"

"We'll grab some food first, and then we're gonna get going I think," Yang answered as she stretched her arms above her head.

From then on the group remained within the cabin for some time as Yang prepared and served their breakfast. During this time the blonde had informed both Weiss and Neo of their destination; Mistral. None of those present had been there before and so it was likely to be a new experience. Outside of the cabin the airship remained, its engines idly throttling as it warmed up for its long journey. The broken chimney above the house had a white sheet draped over it; upon the sheet was the crudely drawn image of a chimney.

After an hour or so the four left the cabin and approached the airship, the ramp had already been lowered as Weiss, Neo and Blake boarded the vessel. Yang paused however as she turned around to look at the cabin and upon noticing the chimney her expression turned sour before boarding the ship herself. Slowly the ramp lifted with a mechanical sound before locking in place and the engines started to thrum back into life. Around the ship fallen leaves and dust blew about as the jets started to lift the craft from the ground.

"You're an asshole," commented Yang as she crossed her arms, her lilac eyes glaring up at the camera in front of the four.

"Hey, given the like, time-frame, I did what I could. I'd like to see you build a chimney in one night," replied the pilot as the ship ascended even higher. From the windows they could now see above the canopy of the surrounding forest. Soon the ship was once more soaring through the sky as the four white ribbons trailed behind it, one awkwardly flew in front of the jet and was burnt away in an instant; leaving what remained of the ribbon to slowly float back down to the floor as it was left behind.

The journey for the most part was uneventful. The ship flew away from Patch and over Vale. The city itself seemed much like it had been since the fall of Beacon; there was a lack of activity in general with few cars upon the streets. It was still quiet, still in fear of what lurked above it within the abandoned academy. Upon the tower the frozen dragon-like Grimm remained; unmoving and stone-like.

But today Yang and her team would once again see sights they had never before witnessed. To the east of Vale were large mountains that proved to be a natural barrier against the creatures of Grimm that lurked further within the continent of Sanus. The mountains themselves could be seen for miles and were likely the largest upon the continent itself, the airship had no issue in passing through and over them.

Upon the eastern side of the mountains the terrain flowed down into large grasslands and untamed forests. Repeatedly had the kingdom of Vale attempted to expand into these regions but the density of the Grimm had always proven to be too large a task to handle. As a result it was rare to find people upon the eastern coast and where there might be a village or two they would always be susceptible to attack with the lack of local hunters to protect them.

But some part of the wild and untouched landscape seemed peaceful and charming. To see lands that man had not altered nor shaped; a land where nature was free to keep its original design. Yang wondered just how peaceful it might be if not for the Grimm; to be in the forests that few had dared enter or explore and to see ancient trees that had stood for hundreds of years without the influence of humanity. If one day the Grimm could be eradicated completely she would prefer if such lands remained untouched if only to preserve what they are and represent; a land that remained as it was meant to be.

The airship lowered considerably as it reached further towards the eastern shore of the continent, the sea before them was rougher than the one between Sanus and Solitas to the north but the distance was shorter. It was as if the sea was being channelled through this small gap and became more tumultuous as a result. The short distance did of course mean that they could already see the continent of Anima however, which was home to the kingdom of Mistral. The destination they sought was the capital of the same name but it lay on the eastern half of the land, meaning they would fly over most of the kingdom in order to reach it.

Anima was a wild and unique land which was home to large cliffs and rocky terrain upon its east, untamed marshlands and bogs in its west and to the north a chill and snowy forest tundra. The south considered of various broken islands that created an archipelago; the weather there was far more tropical than the rest of Anima. There was also a large lake; the largest in Remnant, smack in the middle of the landmass. When compared to the other continents of Remnant, Anima truly was an odd mix of varying climates and terrain.

Mistral was located on the south eastern edge of the large central lake and there were various smaller cities and town dotted throughout the land. Though the city of Mistral was the height of the latest fashion and prided itself upon its theatricals and its finer luxuries of life, the kingdom itself was comprised of a much greyer alignment. The kingdom had a vicious reputation for being a shady and dangerous place outside of the main city. The further away from Mistral you found yourself the more likely you were to bump into a roaming group of bandits and cut-throats, as well as Grimm.

That isn't to say the the continent of Anima is inhospitable however, for there are kinder folk living within smaller communities. The good people of Anima struggle daily for survival and as a result they have become known to loss and other hardships. Because of this they can be more compassionate to those who suffer similar troubles and will often come to the aid of those in need. In Anima, if you do not unite with your neighbours you fall alone, preyed upon by the fouler inhabitants like vultures upon a wounded beast. This also leads to the fairer folk being far more grateful if given assistance but this comes also from a result of not being wealthy; gratitude is as equal to gold for them.

The airship crossed the small sea that separated the two continents as it now found itself flying over thick marshlands. Yang turned once more to the window as she gazed down, the swamp seemed calm from above. The thick canopy sheltering whatever was beneath it but now and then she would spot a clearing as a small lake would dominate the surrounding area, too deep for the otherwise greedy trees to plant their roots beneath. Though she spotted something however, something that seemed to appear from the canopy and clutch at the branch of a tree. She strained her eyes as she made out the white plating across its form and what seemed like a large and folded bat-like wing. Her sight caught a glint of red from what she assumed to be the head of the creature. It was a type of Grimm she had never seen before.

Yang turned back to the others, "Hey guys, there's something down there." The three raised their heads curiously as she turned back to the window, the ship was now moving away from the creature but it still clung there above the canopy, watching them with an almost statue-like presence. She squinted her eyes as she noticed something else, the canopy was moving; rustling. "What the-"

Her voice was cut off in surprise as countless black shapes burst forth from the greenery below. The pilot's voice sounded through the microphone, "Oh fuck me!" The creatures swarmed into the sky as they launched up towards the craft that tilted heavily to one side as it began its evasive manoeuvres, veering sharply into a turn as it lowered towards the ground. The four passengers each grabbed whatever they could find as they felt gravity shift, they could also hear something; a dozen screeches that were rapidly becoming louder. The creatures blared out their cries as multiple thumps against the craft could be heard from outside and accompanied by the heavy flapping of wings. The pilot's voice was heard once more, and although his words were as light-hearted as ever his tone seemed different, "Ah you little shits!"

Something black speared through the window closest to Yang, for the split second it was there she thought she saw a thin, slender tail as dark as the night with an almost spear-like point. She covered her eyes from the glass as the ship shifted sharply while it rolled over completely, attempting to shake off the creatures that had latched onto it.

The pilot screamed, "Get out of my safe space!" The aircraft began spinning wildly, the g-force was becoming taxing upon the body as Yang shut her eyes tight. The screams of the creatures were only increasing as more no doubt started assaulting the ship. Another window shattered, but it wasn't one in the back. She then heard the pilot scream again, but it was in pain. An explosion rocked the entire vessel as something was destroyed, one of the engines. Yang opened her eyes, quickly glancing to the right as she saw the others trying to protect themselves from flying glass and anything else that might threaten them.

From the window she saw a flash of green. Leaves, no, it was trees. They were crashing. A large knock smacked against the ship as gravity became non-existent and the glass flew in every direction, the screeches from the creatures quickly dispersing as the airship flipped and rolled through the forest. Before they came to a stop Yang felt her head smash back against something behind her, from then on her vision turned to black.

* * *

After an unknown amount of time the first person to find themselves awake was Blake. Her golden eyes slowly opened as she glanced around her surroundings. Her head felt light and dizzy and her arms were hanging limply above her head. As her eyes focused she noticed that shattered glass was attached to the ceiling, she was upside-down. With a shocked gasp she turned her attention to Yang, she was asleep and in a similar position to herself. There was something behind her though, something looking in through the window. A large animal skull with thin red markings upon it, a bat-like nose and large protruding teeth. The two red eyes burning within the sockets of its skull looked to her before it retreated through the window, the sound of its wings soon flapping away. A creature of Grimm unlike any she had seen before.

She looked to her left and saw that Neo and Weiss were both okay, or at least as okay as they could be in their current state. Blake groaned as she reached her hands to her belt and unclipped it, falling against the ceiling of the airship with a thud and the crunch of glass beneath her. There was also the threatening sound of creaking wood, as if something was about to break. Her eyes widened as she looked to the window, poking her head out from it. She saw that the soggy marshland ground was beneath them; they were suspended by something.

A groan came from behind her as her eyes darted to Weiss. She cautiously approached her friend as she opened her ice blue eyes, "B- Blake...?"

Blake reached her hands up to her belt, prepared to catch her if needed. "We crashed, stay still."

Weiss dropped from her seat as the belt was unclipped, landing securely thanks to the help of Blake. Her eyes searched around before finding Neo. "My... Head..." Weiss frowned as she reached a hand up to her head in pain. Blake gently placed her hand upon her shoulder in a comforting manner before she moved to pull Yang from her seat. The creak of wood sounded once more as the balance of the ship was agitated further.

"Grab Neo, we need to get out," Blake unbuckled Yang and caught her as she did with Weiss. She gently laid her upon the floor as she stood to her feet, reaching her hand down to a small emergency handle on the exit ramp and trying her best to pry it open. She turned the handle and unlocked the ramp but the weight of it alone was too heavy to push up.

Weiss continued to hold her head as she once more looked up to Neo. She steeled herself against the pain as she reached up her hands to undo the buckle of her belt. Neo's almost non-existent weight proved a valuable fact as she caught her in her arms. "What about-" started Weiss as she turned to look at the door that led to the cockpit. She hadn't noticed it before but there was some sort of outwards dent in the steel of it.

"Try and-" struggled Blake as she pushed against the ramp, "Try and open it if you can..."

Weiss nodded and lowered Neo to the ground as she approached the door to the cockpit. Her hand reached and grasped the handle as she tugged. It was locked. "It's not opening..." Weiss looked back to Blake who returned the glance, after a brief pause of silence she frowned and gestured for her to help her with the ramp. Weiss nodded as her hand hesitantly left the handle of the door, moving to assist Blake.

Together they pried open the ramp as it extended up, granting them a small gap to drop out from. The height was fairly high but not impossible to survive. "You take Neo first," Blake stated as she held the door up with both hands.

As instructed Weiss moved to pick Neo up into her arms, the glass crunching beneath her boots as she knelt down and looked out from the drop. "I'll... I'll try and secure the area," Weiss said before dropping through the gap with Neo in her arms. She landed safely as her eyes darted from left to right.

Blake paused before reaching an arm back to pull Yang towards the exit, "Weiss!" Blake called as the woman below looked back up to her. She seemed to pause as she peered to the front of the airship however, her expression shocked. "Weiss, get ready to catch her!"

Weiss looked back to Blake and hesitantly nodded before lowering Neo down to the muddy floor, freeing up her arms. She saw Blake try as carefully as she could to push Yang from the aircraft, the blonde falling from the sky as Weiss caught her. She almost fell over from the weight but succeeded in preventing any further damage.

The Faunus took a final glance to the door that led to the cockpit. If she let go of the ramp now she wouldn't get it open again. The ship had stopped creaking as weight had been removed from it. Looking down she dropped through the gap, the ramp closing shut after she did so. Landing to the floor she glanced around. The sun was already setting and they were lacking a suitable place to camp. The ground was swampy as far as she could see with only sparse spots of solid ground and there were sounds in the trees; rustling leaves and snapping branches. They weren't safe.

"We- We should go..." Weiss' voice was almost shaken as she stared back up to the airship. Blake narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she turned to see the offending sight. Her eyes widened. The ship was impaled nose-first against a thick branch that entered the cockpit. The branch and the nose of the ship were covered in large amounts of dried blood.

The group had received a grim welcome to Anima.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Yang shivered as she felt cold water run down the back of her neck, but as her thoughts grew clearer she realised she was soaked from head to toe. Blake's voice called out to her, "Yang?" Her vision returned to her as she opened her eyes and saw Blake staring down upon her with concern. Of course. They had crashed. Her realization dawned as she pressed her hand against her head.

"Blake...?"

The Faunus smiled down upon her. Something good finally happened, but her frown was quick to return as she glanced elsewhere. "We crashed, the pilot didn't make it," she answered as her golden gaze returned to the blonde. "Can you stand?"

Yang paused to take note that the pilot had perished. It was all the more bitter when she realised what the last words she had said to him were. She placed her right hand behind her as she attempted to push herself up to her feet, "I think... I think I can manage..." The blonde stood as her partner did so with her. Standing firmly she noticed that it was raining down through the dark canopy above and that the light of the sun was dim. She turned and saw Weiss and Neo behind her, they were both soaked to the bone despite Neo's umbrella and they seemed tired. "Where are we?" Yang turned back to Blake as she asked her.

"I wish I knew... The sun is setting behind us though, we need to keep our backs to it as best we can-" The group paused as a branch snapped to their right.

Weiss readied her Myrtenaster as she turned to face the disturbance, "Is it another one?"

"Another what...?" Yang glanced around cautiously as she readied her fists.

"Grimm. Watch out for the tail, it's what it'll use..." Blake held Gambol Shroud in a prepared stance as she glanced towards Neo, "Just like last time."

Neo nodded her head as she placed herself in front of the others, her umbrella low at her side with Weiss directly behind her. In the distance they could see it as it landed upon a thick branch. A bat-like Grimm with two large wings, short stubby legs and a long slender tail that coiled around the support it stood upon. The end of the tail looked like a small fan; but that quickly changed as the two outer spines closed against the main one which formed a spear-like tip. The large ears of the Grimm seemed to twitch as its glowing red eyes locked onto the group, it didn't care about the rain that drenched it. It's jaw opened as it let out a screech before launching itself from its resting place; it's wings reached out to their full span as it dived towards Neo. When it grew close it flapped its wings against the direction it was heading in as it came to a sudden halt. The long slender tail darted forward as it impaled the image of Neo through the chest: she shattered like glass. From behind the shattering image came Myrtenaster. With a single firm stab the silver blade spiked the skull of the Grimm as it let out a shrill shriek and a shudder before falling limp to the ground.

The creature was as large as they themselves were in size as it slowly disintegrated into nothing. Yang's eyes locked onto the creature as it vanished,"What the hell was that...?"

Blake lowered her blades, "We don't know... But this place is full of them..."

Weiss looked to Neo who now stood besides her, ensuring that she was unharmed before peering back towards Yang and Blake. "They're not so bad alone... But it becomes difficult when there is more than one," Weiss stated before the group started moving deeper through the marshlands.

For what seemed like an hour they trudged through bogs and crawled over large roots. The new type of Grimm would often appear to assault them either alone or in groups of two to three. Slowly and surely were the four becoming drained of their stamina as they pushed on and the rain continued to beat down. As the sun moved to its lowest point of the day the shadows were drawn out.

Yang pushed herself up and over a large rotten tree that had fallen, but as she turned to set herself down upon the other side of it her lilac eyes glanced something in the distance behind them. "There's... A really big one over there, in the tree..."

Blake stood besides her to spy what she had seen. There in one of the larger trees was a creature similar to the bat-like Grimm that had been attacking them; but this one was different. Its general scale was larger; the size of a Beowulf at least. Its wings were torn and ragged and it had more bone exposed than its smaller variant. Sharp and large teeth lined its jaw and its legs were longer and no doubt more useful as a result. The most notable features were upon the skull however, it was cracked in places and one socket was simply a dark hole while the other burned red. Blake and the others had seen this one before and so had Yang yet she failed to recall the creature above the canopy that she saw upon arriving in Anima. Whatever the Grimm were, this was without a doubt their alpha.

"It's just... Sitting in the tree...?" Yang narrowed her eyes towards the creature that seemed to stare back, unmoving with its jaw closed firmly. There was almost a sense of superiority from the creature in the way it postured itself, as if it was better than they were as the rain dripped from its skull.

Blake raised Gambol Shroud towards the beast as it suddenly positioned itself behind the trunk of the tree. The gunshot fired as the bullet hit nothing but leaves. It was almost like it knew exactly what she was going to do as her expression grew more visibly annoyed. "It's been stalking us since we landed..." Blake growled as she turned to continue on the non-existent path.

Weiss knelt atop the fallen tree as she pulled Neo up. The two of them hopped down as Yang's lilac gaze kept glued to where the creature was still hidden. She saw it's head slowly appear from behind the trunk, its burning eye set upon her as if out of curiosity. "Shouldn't we be more worried?" Yang glanced towards Weiss as she spoke to her.

The woman halted as she peered behind the group towards the beast, "It had a chance to attack us before. It's almost like it's just... Keeping an eye on us?" Weiss frowned at the thought as Neo continued further on after Blake. "We shouldn't stop Yang..."

"I don't like it... But you're right. I don't feel like getting lost with you out here" Yang nodded as she and Weiss continued after the other two.

"What do you mean _with me?_ " Weiss peered at Yang through the corner of her eye suspiciously.

"Uhh... Well you probably have the least experience in walking around in a swamp right?" Yang smirked slyly.

Weiss frowned, "That's not very nice Yang, not wanting to be with me just because of where I'm from..."

"I'm kidding Weiss. We'd be fine and I'd be your knight in shining armour and keep you safe," Yang winked as they walked, picking up her pace to catch up with Blake.

Weiss stared at Yang in an unsure fashion as she moved ahead. She mumbled to herself as she lowered her gaze, "Don't say silly things at a time like this you idiot." When she looked up she saw Neo glancing back at her. Weiss offered her a gentle smile as she caught up to walk by her side.

The four pressed on as they were stalked by the alpha that flew from tree to tree, its intentions still unclear as they encountered smaller variants along the way. Yang had discovered that grabbing the creatures by their tails proved to be an effective strategy; especially when followed up by smashing them into more of their own kind. They also discovered however that they would often whip at their prey with their tails and not just attempt to spear them with a direct single strike.

A few minutes had passed by after the sun left and the rain had stopped, but tensions were beginning to run higher. They were yet to find a suitable place to camp and even if they did, being out in the open meant that they would only suffer more attacks from the Grimm; they wouldn't be able to sleep. A singular burning red dot continued to follow the group and they could hear it constantly. With a growl Blake turned to aim Gambol Shroud at the red eye, firing several bullets towards it before it simply vanished. Yang reached her hand out to grasp Blake's arm, forcibly lowering her firearm, "Stop shooting at it, you're just wasting more bullets!"

"Wasting? I'm not wasting anything! _It's Grimm_!" Blake narrowed her eyes as she pulled her arm away from Yang's grasp, she turned to keep walking.

Yang seemed shocked by her response before she followed after her, "You haven't hit it once though, what makes you think the next fifteen times will be any different!?"

Both Weiss and Neo glanced to each other with worried expressions as they walked behind the two that were beginning to quarrel. Blake stood to a halt and turned to face Yang which prompted her halt in her tracks. "At least I'm trying!" Blake pointed a finger accusingly at the blonde.

"Oh! Sorry! Am I not doing enough? Should I start shooting trees too?" Yang's voice was mockingly sarcastic.

Weiss hesitated before she spoke out, "Can we keep it down? We don't-"

"Stay out of it!" Blake's eyes snapped to Weiss who took a step back in surprise, Neo only seemed to glare at the Faunus as a result.

"Don't speak to Weiss like that, she's done nothing wrong!" Yang intervened, holding out an arm in front of Weiss and Neo as if trying to block Blake's attention towards them.

Blake's golden eyes stared back upon Yang, her expression frowning as her voice started to tremble somewhat; it was clear she was attempting to hide it however. "Because it's just me messing up, right!?"

"Blake that's not what I-!"

"Just shut up...!" Blake turned on her heel as she hung her head in a dejected manner while continuing to lead the others through the marshland. Yang took on a downcast expression as Weiss placed a hand upon her shoulder.

"It's just the stress... She doesn't-..." Weiss began as she offered words of reassurance to her friend.

Yang looked up to her and gave a nod, "I know... Thanks Weiss..." The blonde offered a weak smile as the three followed Blake's lead.

The group was now stumbling through the dark as the moon was hidden by the clouds. Blake didn't appear to have any issue with it as her eyes adjusted to the low light. Those behind her however, struggled. Both Blake and Yang had been silent since their spat which provided an unwelcome atmosphere. Curiously enough the Grimm had ceased their attacks for the time being; but that did not mean they had halted completely. Still they heard the alpha that followed in their tracks. They heard branches behind them splinter or snap, they heard its wings beating against the air, its sharp claws grasping onto wood.

But hope was not lost as Blake paused and suddenly changed direction. Yang seemed curious but never spoke up to question their altered path. Weiss however felt confident enough to ask on behalf of the others, "Blake?"

"There's a cave..." Blake's voice was quieter than usual as she led the others towards the mouth of a cave which was backed by a large rocky cliff. The ground leading towards the cave moved out from the soggy marshlands and finally it seemed although they had a place they could wait out the rest of the night in.

The cave had a simple dead-end inside. It proved to be more of a deep dent in the side of the cliff but it suited its desired purpose nevertheless as the group prepared to set up as much of a camp as they were able to.

After some time a small fire had been created and the group made themselves as comfy as was achievable upon the hard stone floor. Weiss and Neo sat at the very back, their legs were tucked to their chests as they leaned against one another's side while Yang sat tending to the fire and Blake remained at the entrance; using her gifted sight in the dark to its advantage. Because of the light from the fire the outside of the cave was a black void to the three humans. The only discrepancy being the single red dot that watched them from a distance.

"It's not leaving, is it?" Weiss' voice was soft as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Neo had already fallen asleep against her as she moved to wrap an arm around the smaller woman.

Yang glanced outside at her words while she poke the fire with a long stick, "We really should be happy it's not just attacking, who knows how strong it is."

"It's the first time I've seen Grimm act like that... It's unsettling to assume that it might be... Thinking..." Weiss sighed as she rested her head atop Neo's.

"Thinking? What, like a person?" Yang turned her attention towards Weiss.

"Why else would it not simply be attacking us?" Weiss' blue eyes drifted towards the singular red dot in the distance, "It must be old..."

Yang paused in confusion, "Why would it be old?"

Weiss seemed unimpressed by Yang's lack of knowledge on Grimm, "Did you just sleep during class? Grimm that grow older become... Wiser. I'd never seen one before so I wasn't sure to what extent it went but a Grimm that can pause to think is actually quite... Terrifying..."

"If it lands we'll still kick its ass though, right?" Yang seemed unsure of even her own words.

"For the time being it's probably best if you settle a dispute before you think about taking on anything... We won't get much done being at odds with one another," Weiss' voice had grown to a whisper as she referred to Blake; who had her back turned to the rest of the group. Yang followed her gaze and bit the inside of her cheek as she stood up, taking Weiss' advice as she approached her partner.

Blake remained still as her eyes constantly scanned the darkness outside of the small cave. Her ears twitched beneath her bow as Yang stood to a halt behind her and reached out her hand, gently tapping her finger against her shoulder. "What is it?" Blake didn't turn around as she asked; her voice was devoid of any true emotion.

Yang's voice was quiet as she knelt down behind the Faunus, "Blake... I'm-"

"No" Blake sighed as she closed her eyes. "It was me, so don't apologize..."

"Hey, don't take all the blame for yourself. We're all on edge with what's happened, so come back inside and get some rest okay? You need it," Yang firmly placed her hand upon Blake's shoulder as she rubbed it in a comforting manner.

"I can't. I'm the only one who can see what's out there," Blake opened her shining golden eyes once again.

Yang frowned at her words, "But you can't stay up all night... Come on, if something comes in I'll see it thanks to the fire."

Blake remained silent for several seconds before standing up to her feet. She turned around to see Yang also stand. The Faunus seemed reluctant as her eyes avoided direct contact with her girlfriend's, "Fine..."

The blonde offered Blake a smile as she took her hand into her own, leading her to the back of the small cave before sitting down and patting her lap. Blake paused as she looked to her but Yang was insistent, "I'm not letting you sleep on the floor Blakey." The Faunus smiled weakly and submitted to Yang's request as she sat down in her lap. She felt her partner's arms wrap around her comfortably as she rested her head upon her shoulder. "I got you," Yang whispered as she planted a gentle kiss against her head. Her lilac eyes turned to glare towards the exit of the cave as the single red dot stared right back at her in silence.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_

 _Just a quick link drop. A friend of mine drew the smaller bat-like Grimm variant, so if anyone wanted a visual aid here you go._

 _i-imgur-com/gkl5CZd-png (-'s are .'s. Never knew this site didn't like links.)_

She's currently working on the larger variant, so I'll probably throw that in another AN soon.


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60

The blade cut deep into the neck of the bat-like Grimm as it fell to the floor in defeat. Blake gave out a sigh of exhaustion as she turned back to the others, they were as tired as she was but there would be no rest. They had to keep moving. A snap of wood came from behind as she spun on her heel to face the disturbance. She was startled to see that a thick branch was coming straight towards her as she used her semblance to avoid it; a clone taking the hit and vanishing. Golden eyes glared up to where the branch had come from, the one-eyed Grimm that had been stalking them was clinging high upon a tree further ahead and she watched as it seemed to focus its gaze upon her. In frustration Blake pulled back her arm and hurled Gambol Shroud towards the beast as a black ribbon trailed in its wake. In response the Grimm flew from its perch as it dug its claws into another tree; its eye seemed to watch as Gambol Shroud struck where it once was before being pulled back towards its wielder. As a result the creature landed its gaze back upon Blake once more as she gripped her weapon tightly in her hand. She hesitated before pressing forward, the others following behind.

They passed the Grimm as it watched them from above; though its gaze shifted to Weiss who walked at the back of the group. The silver-white haired woman met the creature's stare with cold blue eyes. She knew exactly what it was doing: Learning. It had seen their prowess in combat; Neo's semblance and Blake's semblance, and now also how her weapon functioned. Weiss and Yang were the only two that were still unknown to it and she promised to forever remain the variable. She watched as its long slender tail coiled around a branch before snapping it and hurling it towards her. As if without effort she side-stepped the branch as it hit the floor; bouncing into a nearby bush as she continued on after the others like nothing had happened.

The burning eye of the Grimm only seemed to grow more intense as it lowered its head slightly as if it was trying to look closer. But even if Weiss managed to hide her semblance completely from the creature there was still their fatigue to consider. They were all suffering the consequences of constant battle with no food or water. Weiss herself had started to suffer from headaches that only grew more intense as time went on. If they were going to perish at the hands of this creature then she would ensure it was not because it outsmarted them.

As they continued they noticed that the ground was indeed becoming more stable and the trees were starting to become sparser. As a result fighting off the bat-like creatures became easier as they had less shadows to conceal them and the group's footing became more sure with the lack of muddy puddles and fallen branches to step in and fall over.

Their hopes were renewed as the gleaming sun shined down upon them through an opening in the trees ahead. They pressed on with an urgency as they climbed the small hill; their feet slipping against the wet mud as if the land itself was trying to pull them back towards the trials of the swamp. But with a sure grip on roots and dug in heels they made it up the hill and out into the open. Clothes muddy, weapons worn, and with panting breaths they finally stood looking out into the distance where they could see that the hill sloped down into a small valley. Ahead there appeared to be a village and beyond it a forest.

The heavy beat of wings came from above as shadows flew of them. In shock the four turned to see the large alpha as it flew through the sky, veering off towards the north-east accompanied by a swarm of its smaller brethren. Weiss narrowed her eyes, "Are they just... Leaving?"

"I'm not complaining..." Yang panted as she leaned forward with her hands on her knees.

Weiss didn't like it. That alpha was intelligent so for it to suddenly abandon them and fly away... It unnerved her. It served a purpose and not knowing that purpose became a source of frustration. "We should keep moving towards that village, I don't-" Weiss paused in pain as she held her hand to her head; the headache pulsed harder. Neo came to her side with concern as she wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Blake turned to regard Weiss, "Is it getting worse?"

Weiss nodded in silence as Yang stood up straight and took the lead, "Let's keep going then, it's not too far."

Neo continued to hold her arm around Weiss as she helped her make the journey. The four girls were glad to have more solid ground beneath their feet as they descended from the hill. The further down they got the longer the grass became; eventually reaching up to their knees as they pushed through. Much to their annoyance however, the long grass came with wet and muddy soil. Anima was quickly beginning to seem like a very damp place, but they trudged on despite the terrain as before them and forever in sight was the small village that grew closer with each step. The sun ascended higher into the sky as it warmed the group, there were small white clouds dotting the blue above and a gentle gust of wind brushed across the long grass and gave it the appearance of waves, it was like a calm temperate sea of green.

As they drew closer towards the village they noticed figures moving about within, and faint voices. The grass grew shorter as they neared and a figure paused as it turned to them. Shortly after, a yell was heard and more figures appeared; moving out from the village and approaching towards them. They had weapons and seemed cautious.

Yang kept her lilac eyes upon the approaching men, "Let's hope they don't mind guests..."

The group stood to a halt as the guards came into view; they donned simple armour and weapons as they paused in front of them. One guard in particular came forward. At first he seemed a little confused as he noticed their attire and weapons, "...Hunters?"

Blake took a step forward, "Yes. We crashed on our way to Mistral, can you help us?" Blake's voice was firm and held an authority as if she was just playing the part. Of course they weren't actual huntress', they hadn't graduated, but the guards didn't know that.

The guards looked to one another before the captain motioned with his hand for one of them to return to the village. The Captain looked back to the group, "Of course, your kind are always welcome here. Please, follow me, you look weary."

The remaining guards formed a secure perimeter around the group as the captain led them back towards the village. The guard that had ran ahead had already reached it. The closer they drew the sooner they realised the condition of the village itself. The buildings were old and appeared to have suffered some damage over time. The roads were just mud tracks that were often walked by the populace and as they entered the town itself the four quickly noticed just how popular they were. People were emerging from their houses, but it was not with excitement they appeared: It was hope. Weiss glanced around as they continued through narrow paths between old buildings. This place... The guards, the condition it was all in. All of it pointed towards what she had heard about Mistral. The village was abandoned by its own kingdom.

A larger building stood before the group; it was made of stone and wood and the door was already open. The guards split off from the escort as the Captain paused to turn towards the four, stepping aside and gesturing for them to enter,"Your journey can't have been easy. If you require food or medical attention you will find it in here. The village elder will be by shortly, he'll want to speak to you all and I urge that you wait for him to arrive before departing."

Blake looked to the Captain who smiled back at her in polite fashion, "Thank you, we appreciate it." Blake smiled in return.

The Captain lowered his head slightly, "No, please, the appreciation is on our part." With that the man departed to likely attend to his other tasks. Yang watched as he left and took note of even more citizens appearing from behind corners and buildings to look upon the four. The other three entered the building as she lingered outside for a moment, turning her head as something caught her eye. A building with an axe and a hammer attached to two of its posts with an anvil sign above the door; it was a blacksmith.

Blake glanced back as Yang eventually followed them into the building. In front of them was a round table with four chairs and a food-stacked plate along with a jug of water in the centre of the table. Yang was the first to approach the table curiously; looking to the others as she moved, "Is that for us?"

Weiss continued to hold her head in pain, "He did say we'd find food and water... So I presume yes?"

Yang quickened her pace with a hunger towards the table as she pulled out a chair for herself, sitting down upon it as she reached for the plate in the middle. The food upon it consisted of mostly meat and vegetables that were likely produced by the village itself. The blonde found herself soon accompanied by the rest of her team as they all sat down to eat. Weiss was quick to grab the glass of water in front of her and drain it of its contents. She placed it back down empty and breathed out a heavy sigh. A half-glass of water was then pushed towards her from Neo's direction. Weiss looked as she smiled at her, having only drank half of her glass and deciding to give the rest to her partner. "Neo... Are you sure?" Weiss was smitten by her caring nature as Neo nodded in confirmation.

"Aw, that's kinda sweet," Yang smirked as she turned to Blake, "Hey Blakey, can I have your water?"

"No," Blake answered bluntly as she reached towards the central plate.

Yang didn't seem too bothered by the rejection, "But I thought you liked being romantic?"

"I also like being hydrated," Blake answered before gulping down the rest of her water.

As minutes went by Weiss took note that Neo had placed some vegetables upon her plate but had not consumed them. She frowned as she reached to her plate and picked up a leaf of lettuce. "It's not so bad you know?" Weiss smiled before taking a bite from the crispy lettuce before offering the leaf back to her. Neo watched with an unsure expression; she really didn't look overly fond about the idea as she took the leaf back into her hand. Her eyes stared down at it before she hesitantly took a bite. She chewed and her expression conveyed to everyone that she really didn't like it. Despite that, she understood that she had to eat and so begrudgingly continued; much to Weiss' approval.

Eventually as the plate in the centre became empty an elderly man walked in through the door. The four looked back to him as he raised his hand in greeting. He wore a red robe and had a necklace of large green beads, his hair was grey and short and his wrinkles defined his age. The Elder's voice was hoarse as he spoke, "Greetings to you, kind hunters."

"Yo" Yang raised her hand in a wave as Blake turned to push it back down.

The Faunus sighed quietly at Yang before looking to the village elder, "Thank you sir, for taking us in and feeding us."

The man smiled, "Please, the pleasure is mine. You young girls don't seem to be from around here, will you be staying long? Not that I would want to press you onto your journey."

"We came here from Vale on our way to Mistral, but our transport..." Blake paused with a frown as she recalled the pilot's fate, "...We crashed in the swamp."

"Then it is a miracle that you all survived!" The man nodded, holding his hands together.

Yang raised her hand as to catch the man's attention, "We're actually looking for someone though, or a bunch of people actually... Have you seen any other hunters around lately?"

The man paused in thought as his eyes looked up to the ceiling. He raised his finger as he looked back to them. "Ah, yes. There was a group of four some time ago. Two boys, one with long dark hair and the other with blonde. Also with them were two young girls, one red haired and the other brunette, the latter wore a red cloak... Hard to forget something so noticeable."

Yang's eyes widened, she hadn't actually expected anyone at the village to have seen Ruby. She believed her to be on the other side of the continent in Mistral after all. "You saw her!? Where did they go!? When were they here!?" Yang stood up from her chair.

"Yang calm down," Blake turned to the blonde once again. Of course, the news was good but yelling at an old man was unlikely to get them further answers. Yang paused as she looked to Blake before slowly seating herself once more.

"And so your intentions come to light. You are looking for this group then?" The old man looked to Yang who tried to calm herself.

The blonde nodded, "Yeah, the one with the red cloak, she's my sister. Well, half-sister. If you could help us... I'd really appreciate it."

The elderly man paused in thought, "I would love nothing more than to help someone find their loved ones... But..." The man sighed deeply, "We are struggling here. My people... When they see hunters they grow hopeful that they might help ease our burden... While we have no issue with feeding travelling hunters and helping them along their way for all the hard work they do, we would be greatly appreciative if you would help us if only a little in return..."

Yang looked to the others who regarded her with consideration. After several seconds of silence she turned back to the man, "What do you guys need help with?"

The elder seemed relieved to hear that the four were willing to help as he smiled widely, "Well, from anything to aiding the reconstruction of old buildings, finding purer metals for our blacksmith, or ridding the local area of Grimm and bandits alike."

Weiss looked to Yang and Blake, "What about that flying alpha?"

"Flying alpha...? Ah..." The elderly man frowned at the words as his voice trailed off.

Blake peered suspiciously at the man, "You know something about it? It stalked us through the swamp. We'd never seen Grimm like it before."

The elder nodded slowly, "Yes, I know of it. The species you encountered are known around here as Strigoi. They are mindless creatures that strike from the sky, but the one that stalked you... It had one eye, correct?"

Yang nodded as she spoke slowly, "Yeah... It did."

"It is known as the Sire, and it has lived for generations..." The elder looked displeased as he spoke the creature's title.

"The Sire? Why hasn't anyone killed it yet?" Yang raised a brow in question to the man.

"The Sire does not rely upon strength alone. Its wit is as sharp as its claws and honed to a fine edge over the countless years it has sustained itself. Every group that pursues its head has been outwitted, made a fool of and ultimately perished by its hand. It is known to strategy and herds its own kind like an army of tooth and nail. I did not ask that your sister seek out this beast, nor will I ask it of you. But I will ask you where you last saw it as to strengthen our defences."

Weiss narrowed her eyes as she listened to the elder's words. She was right in her assumptions that the creature was old and wise, "It flew off to the north-east when we left the swamp."

"The... North-east?" The man frowned heavily, "Should your road take you to encounter that creature again, heed my words. Slouch in its presence; the Sire is a proud and narcissistic creature and has been known to take offence to those who would see themselves as above it." The man paused before regarding Weiss specifically, "You my dear have likely already offended the creature greatly with the simple presence of your refined nature. I ask that you take care especially."

"Thank you for your concern, sir," Weiss nodded in thanks yet she knew that she would sooner die than lower herself beneath the presence of Grimm.

"Well, I guess after hearing all that... We'll help rebuild some of your stuff," Yang gave her answer to the elder who smiled kindly in response.

"My thanks, good hunters. We will provide you with a place to rest for the night and should you need more food or water you need only ask. Just know that it may not be the most bountiful of feasts." The man raised a hand in farewell as he turned to leave. The four girls thanked him again as they waved at him in return.


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Water continued to drip from the recently used shower-head. The droplets were tapping gently against the tiled floor as condensation covered the otherwise cold walls. It was a relief to finally be rid of the gritty dirt that had been accumulated from the marsh. Yang was sat upon a wooden bench, wrapped in a towel. Blake was drying and brushing her long golden hair and similar to her; she was also wrapped in a towel. Besides them was Weiss, and further along was Neo who sat at the end of the bench.

Weiss glanced over to Yang with a less than enthusiastic expression, "So we're going to be... Building houses...?"

Yang remained still as Blake tended to her golden mane of hair, "What's wrong? Manual labour isn't beneath you, is it Miss Schnee?" The blonde grinned as she peered through the corner of her eye towards Weiss.

Weiss opened her mouth to speak but paused as she considered her words. She crossed her arms and sat up straight while tilting her chin up, "I've never built a house before, Yang. How can they expect us to build something that won't fall apart?" Her head turned to Blake as she heard her voice reply to her words.

"I don't think they actually want us to build one from scratch, or by ourselves. We're probably just going to be helping them as much as we can," her gaze remained focused on the task in front of her as she spoke.

"And what does that involve exactly?" Weiss seemed more unsure of the job ahead of them with each word that was said.

Blake's golden eyes glanced towards Weiss briefly as she smiled, "Likely moving stuff around for the others. So heavy lifting maybe?"

"Think about it Weiss, your soft hands might actually see some work tomorrow!" Yang chuckled before Blake slapped her lightly upon the head.

"Hey, I work all the time!" Weiss pouted as she crossed her arms. Her attention was caught from elsewhere as she felt a finger tap upon her shoulder. She turned to see Neo smiling. The smaller woman pointed towards the exit of the room as Weiss followed her gesture before returning her gaze towards her. "Oh, are you heading back now?" Neo nodded in response to Weiss as she stood up from the bench. Weiss smiled back at her, "I'll be back in a minute or two okay?" Once again Neo nodded before leaning down to plant a gentle kiss against her cheek. Weiss blushed softly as she watched her partner turn and leave the room.

After Neo had left Yang's voice caught Weiss' attention. "She's a lot more quiet now. I forget she's around sometimes, and I don't mean quiet as in... You know?"

"That's because all of her attention is focused on Weiss now," Blake might not have been happy about Weiss and Neo's relationship at the start, but now she found it to be a welcome respite in comparison to before.

Weiss' smile dipped slightly, "You two never seem to talk to her. Do you dislike her that much?"

"What? Nah, Neo's fine now. Just... Don't you find it difficult? To speak to her?" Yang noticed Weiss' expression and so put on her own friendly smile. Blake remained silent.

"Difficult?" Weiss paused as her ice blue eyes looked to the exit of the room, "Sometimes when she's trying to explain something I suppose. But I like that she's quiet. It... Suits me I guess. I've also become quite adept at understanding her body language."

"I bet," Yang snorted which once more earned her a slap on the head from her partner. "Ah- Blake you're meant to be brushing my hair not beating it!" The Faunus continued to remain silent as she finally finished her task.

"All done."

Weiss' expression softened towards the two, "I understand what you mean though, but I would appreciate it if you included her more often. I know you have some... History. But it really would mean a lot to me and probably her too." With that the silver-haired woman stood up to her feet, turning her back as to leave the room.

"Sure thing Weiss, it can't hurt," Yang grinned as she pushed herself up from the bench as well. She picked up a towel in her hand as she started to swirl it around while Blake watched her for a second in confusion, before realizing what she was doing and sighing as a result. "Not like this will!" Yang brought back the towel and whipped it towards Weiss' rear. She gave out a startled yelp in response as she turned to face the blonde.

"Ouch! Yang that stings!" Weiss complained as she backed away from the advancing woman.

"Come on Weiss, it's only fun if they run!" There was another whip of the towel as Weiss leapt away from it.

"Yang!" Weiss turned to shuffle away from her pursuer as fast as she could while trying to hold her towel around herself. Of course, being in a small room this only meant she could run around the single bench in the centre. Blake looked unamused as she watched the two run circles around her. "Don't make me run! I'm going to drop my towel! Blake make her stop!"

"I must see if the legends are true!" Yang continued in a deep and stereotypical voice as she whipped her towel towards Weiss' rear once again as she chased her.

Weiss yelped from the sting once more, "What legends!?"

"That Weiss has a _Weiss_ butt!"

" _Ice_!? That doesn't even make sense!"

"No, _nice_!" Yang was halted in her tracks as a towel whipped at the space between her and Weiss. The tip of it smacked against the tiled wall. Yang wasn't sure, but it looked although it may have even cracked it. Her expression dropped to some form of fear as she watched the whip, which was formed of at least seven separate towels, being dragged back towards its wielder: Blake. "H- Hey now Blake, you've got like... A plus ten proficiency in whips... Let's not get out of hand here okay?" Yang pleaded as she dropped her improvised weapon to the ground, much to the relief of Weiss.

* * *

The next day and the group were busy at work. Yang had ran off before they started to attend to some business, as she referred to it, at the local blacksmith before returning. One of the buildings upon the outskirts of the village had a large hole blown into the side of it from a recent bandit attack. While the village were able to fight off the attackers, the damage they sustained was great. With constant attacks from Grimm and bandits alike the damages were a constant repair job, so help was greatly appreciated when it came. It wasn't work fit for everyone however, as they soon found out.

"My arms are hurting..." Weiss sighed as she lowered a wheelbarrow full of wet cement to the ground. Yang passed by her, she was carrying two bags of dry cement over her shoulders.

"Don't tell me this is your first day of actual real work?" Yang smirked as she continued on by.

Weiss turned to snap at Yang in the fashion she so often did, but Blake caught her attention as she heard her approach. "You know she only keeps picking on you because of the way you react, right?"

"It's not like I can change that," Weiss pouted as she looked to Blake, who didn't seem to be doing anything. "Are you actually doing anything or-"

Weiss stopped herself as she saw Neo approach, she was struggling with her arms containing a large roll of some sort of material. She held it out to Blake who took the roll into her own arms while Neo walked back to likely get more. The Faunus turned her attention towards Weiss with a confused look, "What did you say?"

"Uh... Nothing..."

Blake squinted her eyes suspiciously at Weiss, "Well, okay. I'm inside if you need me."

"Yeah, yeah. Okay," Weiss smiled politely and nodded as she watched Blake leave. She sighed to herself and brought her hand up to scratch her cheek, only to silently curse to herself when she realised that she got dirt on her face. Who knew the labours of the common folk were so tough? A sound caught her attention as she turned to see the point of disturbance. A pallet had been knocked over and behind it she saw children peeking at her from where it used to be. They seemed shocked that she had noticed them but at the same time seemed to be in awe. The response surprised Weiss, but she knew exactly what to do. She stood up straight and waved at them with a smile on her face.

The children gasped, they were clearly inspired by the presence of a huntress before they started to wave back eagerly. A passing adult took note before quickly shooing them away as to not distract the hard working protectors of the people. The adult nodded in apology to Weiss but clearly had a smile on their own face before leaving. Weiss paused as some sense of pride welled up in her. She expected being a huntress to be nothing more than slaying Grimm and beating up bandits, but she understood that there was more to it now. Being a huntress wasn't just about fighting; it was about helping people in any way they could, and they seemed grateful for it. Even if it was just repairing a house.

Her arms didn't feel as tired now as she lifted the wheelbarrow back up and pressed on with renewed vigour.

* * *

The sun bathed the small and quaint village in an orange glow as it started to set. Yang had just finished the last of the heavy lifting as she made her way around the building. She looked to it and noticed just how much progress had been made through their, and the villagers, combined efforts. Another day and it would likely be finished. Blake and Neo were both carrying more building supplies; hauling them towards the building together. Weiss was covered in dirt, cement, and had been working relentlessly since she complained about her arms. The sight brought a smile to Yang's lips as she watched her friends working together.

"Your team is quite competent. I can only imagine what you would have been like after completing your training at your academy in Vale." Yang was surprised as she turned to see the village elder stood behind her, as usual he was smiling politely.

"What? We are-"

The old man chuckled, "There is no need for deception my child. I am only happy that you remained to help. That counts you as more of a hunter than any graduation ceremony ever could."

Yang paused, "How did you know...?"

The elder sighed as he looked out to her team, "You will soon come to learn of this as fact while you travel the lands outside of your kingdom... Regrettably it is an often occurrence that a graduating team of hunters soon split. Wherever by choice or chance is not always clear... But teams do not remain as such for long." The man's dull eyes looked although they were losing focus on anything before him, as if he was becoming distracted. "Not to mention that you are all so very young and hopeful..."

"What do you mean hopeful?" Yang turned her attention to also view her team. She saw that they were all smiling, even Weiss who was tired and spent.

"I do not wish to dampen your spirits... But while the life of a hunter, or huntress, is filled with romance, chivalry, and comradery. There is also pain, loss, and defeat. There may come a time where your feet ache and your stomach groans. A time where you will say goodbye to friends and family. A time where the last flicker of light is extinguished before your eyes..." The old man's gaze shifted to the floor in memory. "The life you've chosen, young huntress, is to take on the suffering of those around you so that they might live comfortably at your expense. This is why hunters and huntress' alike are regarded with such renown. They spare nothing; everything is given to Remnant and its people and eventually you will be left with two paths. To use your talents for your own interests: Harming and stealing from the people you once swore to protect or simply abandoning them to hide yourself away and wasting your years of training... Or keep going until you die for them or are simply unable to continue; crippled for the rest of your life." Again the old man sighed a weary sigh as he looked to the sky. "You give everything... Or you take it all back."

Yang's lilac gaze sharpened at the man, "What did you choose?"

The elder paused and let out a single breath of a laugh through his nose as he turned to regard the blonde, "You are keener than you let on. That may serve you in the future." The old man reached down to adjust his long oriental skirt. He revealed what would be a leg, but in its place was a simple wooden stump. "I chose to give as much as I could, and I continue to do so as their leader. What better role-model than an old retired hunter?"

The blonde's eyes looked down to the stump before it was covered up once more. She turned her gaze to meet the man's own, "How'd it happen?"

"I came to this village long ago from Haven Academy; Mistral. Myself and my team sought to..." The old man breathed in deeply. "Sought to change the kingdom for the better... To rid Anima of the bandits and Grimm that plagued it. The foolish graduates that we were... The Sire had dominated the western side of this continent for years and so we came looking to put the beast down. We were reckless and ignored the pleading cries of the villagers, warning us not to pursue it, telling us there was much else we could do to help. We were stubborn and told them everything would be fine. We had never known defeat, but then we had never faced an enemy so... Cunningly terrible... We fell into every trap that was set for us. The first of us fell and we were shaken as loss had been something we had little experience with. Group cohesion fell apart and we lost another... When it was but myself and the last remaining member of our team, the creature appeared. We had only seen glimpses of it before, but there it was standing proudly before us. It knew it had won. I moved to engage the Sire, fuelled by hatred and rage. Its tail was hidden beneath the dirt and the leaves and with one sure whip it severed my leg. It did not even move, it simply watched as I cried in pain. My comrade came to my rescue and drew in close... A dozen Strigoi swarmed down upon her and forced her to the ground; gnawing with their teeth and scratching with their claws. I watched in horror as the frenzy tore her apart, and beyond it... The Sire... Watching with its burning red eye. Ever still and motionless. It saw that I was suffering and it fed off of those emotions, as Grimm so often do. It kept me alive just to relish in the atmosphere I was creating..."

Yang listened intently to the elder's story. "How did you survive...?"

The man looked to Yang, his eyes were with a lack of emotion as he spoke, "What makes you think that I did?" A silence passed over the two. "But... Enough of tales and the hardships of your profession. Know that you live upon an honourable and selfless path and that is something you should always be proud of." The elder smiled, but now that Yang had noticed it she couldn't help but see the sorrow in his gaze, it was a permanent fixture upon him. "Your work here is done, you may spend another night and eat your share. When the morning comes and you seek to leave, head north-east. There you will find the ruins of Shion. That is last where your sister and her team were travelling."

"Ruins?" Yang raised a brow curiously.

"Villages come and go out here, but Shion was destroyed recently by bandits and Grimm. I am unsure wherever you will find answers or questions there, but it is your best and only course to take. I only ask that you be cautious..." The voice of the elder grew serious in tone as he drew to the end of his sentence.

"I will be," Yang nodded with sure confidence.

* * *

The hour was late and the group had retired to their rooms. As per the night before, Yang and Blake shared a room while Weiss and Neo shared another. Yang sat upon the edge of her bed as her eyes stared out of the window. There was nothing but darkness outside. Blake was behind her; laying upon the bed with her eyes locked upon a book. Her golden gaze shifted from the pages and to Yang, "I forgot to ask." Yang turned to regard her with a questioning look. "Weren't you going to fit Celica back onto your wrist when we got to Patch?" The Faunus smirked at the forgotten task.

The blonde grinned as she turned her body in order to crawl towards her partner, "Well I was gonna... But I got distracted you see..."

Blake chuckled softly as she brought her hand up to brush against her girlfriend's cheek, "You're clumsy..."

"Yeah well, would a clumsy person have asked the local blacksmith to do it for her in exchange for her hard work today?" Yang crawled closer to Blake until she was practically on top of her.

"No, just a lazy one. You're picking it up in the morning I guess?" Blake's cheeks blushed as Yang brought her lips closer to hers.

"Yeah, should be ready-" A loud cry came from the room next door as Yang's eyes sharpened. The words of the elder rang in her head as she sat up. "Was that Weiss!?" She pushed herself off of Blake and stumbled to her feet as she ran for the door.

"Yang wait!" Blake called after her partner, but it was too late for she had already sprinted out the door.

Weiss and Neo's room was only the next one down and so Yang was quick to the scene as she burst in through the door. "Weiss!"

The woman in question let out a startled shriek as she pulled her quilt up to cover herself. She was sat in the middle of her bed, her body facing the headrest as she looked to Yang. She was frozen in place, as if out of fear.

"Weiss are you okay!? I heard you scream! Where's Neo!? Your face is red and you're sweating-...!" Yang paused as her thoughts began to piece the puzzle together. Weiss was looking at her with shock, her skin was slick with sweat, she was breathing heavily... And Neo...? Her lilac eyes noticed there was something beneath the quilts, a form...? Yang froze.

After several awkward seconds of silence Weiss picked up a pillow and hurled it at Yang with great force, "Get out! Get out right now!" The pillow struck the blonde in the face as she stumbled from the room; she didn't need to be told twice as she slammed the door shut. She stared at the door in silence. After a few more seconds she heard Weiss' voice from inside, "Why didn't you stop!?"

With wide lilac eyes she turned as she made her way back to her own room. In the doorway stood Blake with her usual expression of disinterest. "I tried to tell you," Blake sighed as Yang silently walked by her and back into their room.

"Weiss is really adventurous..." Yang muttered as she climbed back into her bed. Blake rolled her eyes before closing the door behind her.


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 62

A mismatched gaze of brown and magenta stared down upon Weiss as she slept. Neo was sat upon the edge of the bed as her eyes turned to peer towards the window. The sun was cresting over the village and shined into the room the two of them were staying in. Her gaze lowered as in her hands she held a pencil and paper. She kept telling herself how comfortable she was with Weiss, and how her words, even if written, would not be chastised by her. Not like how they used to be. She closed her eyes as she breathed in a steady breath. She exhaled and placed the nib of the pencil against the paper as she opened her eyes once more. For a while she realised she could not move her hand. It was like the time Yang had asked this of her and she had failed to comply. Her grip tightened upon the pencil as she took in another breath while attempting to steady her thoughts.

Writing was not unknown to her, in fact her penmanship was quite beautiful and elegant. Yet she had only ever written down her words for one person before; for the man she considered a father: Roman. She looked over her shoulder to Weiss once more and she knew that she cared for her deeply. Perhaps more than anyone before. Yet still she hesitated as she looked back to the pencil in her hand. A fear of rejection, or a desire for her to remain silent and _perfect_. A ceramic doll for display that would shatter at the slightest touch. Much like her semblance allowed her to do.

She narrowed her eyes at the paper as she recalled only bitter memories of her past. Things were different now. Weiss loved her, and she loved Weiss. There was no stronger bond and if she couldn't express her feelings to her like this, then surely there would be no hope for them as a couple. How long could they really just depend on her silence? She focused upon the pencil and paper in hand as slowly she drew the first line of a letter whilst her past started to flood back to her.

* * *

Mistral city; the height of show and fashion. The city was many things to many people, but ugly was not one of them. And as everyone knew; in order to truly appreciate the finest and newest lines of clothing was to see them adorned by an example of beauty. People would often dress their children in the most adorable and expensive clothes as they, especially in regards to nobility, represented the qualities and wealth of their parents. So it was that the shows for the latest fashion were not restricted to adults upon a catwalk...

A slender finger tilted her chin up as a red velvet ribbon was wrapped around her thin neck and neatly tied into a bow. It was too tight and she desired to voice her concern. But as her mouth opened the finger placed itself across her lips as a woman knelt down in front of her. Her hair was brunette and flowed over her shoulders like a silky curtain. Her features were sharp and her green eyes pierced that of the child's mismatched pair. When she spoke her voice was a gentle whisper, "What have I told you my dear? Nobody out there comes to hear you. They come to see you. Do not distract their senses with meaningless words." The child, no older than ten, nodded in response as the woman smiled at her.

The girl was dressed in a frilly carmine dress with vanilla flower patterns and a large tie around the waist. Her brunette hair was tied into a single long braid that went down her back.

The woman before her ran her fingers down the side of the girl's face, "I believe... Ombre auburn hair, and vermilion eyes..." The child nodded as she blinked, her mismatched brown and magenta eyes shifting into a vermilion shade. Even her hair slowly altered into an auburn colour at the roots and fading into a lighter shade towards the ends. The woman smiled once more, "Ah! Yes, that's perfect!" She took a step back to look upon her daughter in full view, "Very good. This will be the one my dear, they'll be talking about it all season!" She threw her hands up in exaggeration and to display her excitement, but she paused as her green eyes glanced down to the girl. She lowered her arms and approached her as she brought her hands to her face while her thumbs pulled the corners of her mouth up harshly, the girl winced in response. "Goodness girl, smile won't you? This is a moment of pride and I will not have your frown ruin it!"

When the woman pulled back the child held a smile upon her face. It was entirely false but good enough to fool the people waiting for her.

"Now dear, let me see you walk," The woman took several steps back. It was the first time her daughter had worn heels and as a result she was hesitant. "Well? Don't just stand there. Just like we practised now," The woman clapped her hands together.

The girl held her smile still as she took a step forward. It was a step she had been made to practise countless times, so as expected, it was flawless. She took a second and a third before coming to a halt.

The emerald gaze of the woman judged every movement of the child's body with a critical eye. She smiled again after she came to a halt, "Perfect my dear. Simply perfect." She looked up to an ornate clock upon the wall as it ticked away. "The curtains will draw soon and you are tonight's opening, I do not believe I need to tell you how much is at stake here, do I?" Her gaze turned to the child and narrowed, "I spent many nights on that dress and I expect it to make an impression. So play the part, my little doll, and we'll all be happy."

The child nodded with a smile.

* * *

The curtains were themed after her own dress; carmine and vanilla. The entire display was designed with her in mind, she was the centrepiece. She wore a frown as she stood alone behind the curtain, her gaze looking to the ground. Beyond the barrier between herself and the crowd she could already hear them, from the murmured whispers to the boisterous laughter.

Her attention was drawn up as she saw the curtains darken and the voices hush at one another before falling silent. An announcer made the introduction with words through speakers,. there was a lack of excitement or thrill in his voice, and why would there be any? This event was one of calm class and so when he spoke her name he did so in such a manner. "... And next presenting: Neopolitan."

Neo forced a smile and tilted her chin up as the curtains were drawn open and the stage was revealed to her. She first noticed the lit-up path before her that led out to the centre of the room. The crowd consisted of older men and women as well as finely-dressed nobility. Neo knew the steps as she walked forward. She could see the smiles and hear the whispers of the people around her; they were enamoured by her. When it came to fashion for children Neo was second-to-none. She was early to discover a small portion of her semblance which allowed her to change the colour of her eyes and her hair, much to the delight of her mother who designed clothing for a living. So it was that there was no outfit that Neo couldn't pull off, and everything she wore would spike up in popularity. To her mother Neo was a goldmine of a child.

She reached the end of the walk as she stood before the audience with her bright smile. They continued to smile back and some silently clapped their hands in appreciation of the young girl. Those that took pictures used cameras without a flash, such devices were not allowed at the venues. But at times that particular rule was ignored. She turned to begin the walk off the stage, it was her favourite part. But as she moved, her eyes caught a large dish-shaped object in the audience. She was slightly perplexed by the device before she was blinded with a bright flash.

The crowd gasped as a thud upon the stage was heard, and after a moment the low voices of concern began.

"Was that a camera with a flash?"

"Is she okay?"

"Look at her eyes..."

"That dress must be unlucky..."

"She's crying..."

Neo was knelt on the floor. The flash had disorientated her and she had fallen upon the heels she wore. Her vision was still blinded and to everyone else her eyes were a stark white. Her wrist burned with pain; she had attempted to use it to break her fall but something else had broken instead. Her tears fell from her face as she cried for all to hear. The lights of the stage were quickly snuffed out.

* * *

The child found herself laying in her bed. The curtains of the window were drawn but it was light outside. Her wrist was bandaged as she used her other hand to pull her quilt closer against herself. Across from the room was a cabinet of porcelain dolls that stared back down at her to remind her of what she was. They each wore smaller variations of the outfits her mother had designed for her shows but they stopped abruptly at the carmine and vanilla dress and would forever, for no show after that was ever attended by Neopolitan. Her eyes looked to the vanilla scented candles besides her bed, the flames flickering and dancing.

She heard muffled voices from outside her room, first hearing the voice of her mother as she spoke, "Are you sure?"

The second voice was that of the doctor that had just visited her, "Her bones are like glass. Every time she falls she'll break something." The doctor paused as his voice grew quiet but precise, "And the smallest taps leave bruises. Bruises that she already has."

"Good doctor, what are you implying?"

"I'm implying that I don't get paid enough to cover up the fact that you're a wrathful bitch. I want double this time or the papers are going to have something new for the headlines next week. You have until then before what little reputation you have left crumbles into dust."

The sound of a door slammed and there was for a moment a pause of silence. Footsteps hastily began making their way towards the door of her room as she pulled the quilt over her head.

* * *

It had been a year since her mother had abandoned her to the streets. Neo was tainted in her eyes, no longer would anyone buy the clothes that she displayed. One broken rule, one simple mistake. That was all it took for the higher nobility of Mistral to shift their attention to something else.

She sat against the wall of an alley, her hair was longer and black yet her eyes persisted in their magenta and brown combination. In her hands she held a piece of parchment that was slowly being destroyed by the rain that fell on her. Upon the letter was the name: Sanctum Academy. It was an academy for younger pupils wanting to become a hunter or huntress, from there they could enrol at Haven Academy before finally graduating. It was the fifth time she had written to the academy for a chance to learn something and a place to stay. Yet this was also the fifth time they had declined her request. It seemed that her mother was right. Nobody cared for her words. In her other hand she held a quarter of a loaf of bread, wrapped in paper. She had stolen it from a nearby bakery. These days theft was the only way she could survive and her semblance had evolved to compliment that.

Yet her semblance also seemed to have a sense of humour as every time she created a clone of herself, it would shatter like glass upon impact. Like her. Like a porcelain doll.

Her eyes continued to gaze lifelessly upon the wet piece of paper as the ink started to run. She let out a soft yelp as she almost burst into tears, though she stopped herself. But it wasn't enough as she heard footsteps from around the corner. "Who's there?" A voice called out for her as the steps drew nearer. She brought her knees to her chest as she watched a man appear; he was dressed in ragged clothing with a foul odour clinging to him. For a moment the man looked down to her and his eyes spotted the wrapped bread in her hand. "Hey girl, give me what's in your hand," The man ordered, his voice threatening as he pointed down to her food.

Neo remained silent as she glared up at the person before her.

The man's expression grew angered, "I said give it here you little shit!" The man growled as he reached his hand down to grab her wrist. She tried to pull her hand back but the man squeezed tight and pain shot through her as her bones started to fracture. She refused to cry, she couldn't. Making sounds only seemed to cause her pain and get her in more trouble. She was thrown back to the ground as the bread was taken from her hand. Her eyes blinked into a stark white as she curled herself into a ball upon the wet floor, one hand clutching at her fractured wrist as the tears fell from her face.

She could see as the man unwrapped the bread from its package. He took a hungry bite from it before something smacked against the back of his head with a hollow metallic sound.

"Ah- What the shit!" The man stumbled forward as he dropped the bread to the floor. He turned and was struck a second time across the face as he crashed into the wall. His nose bled and shards of his teeth lay upon the floor. He looked up to see a figure standing before him in a white coat. Green eyes stared down upon the man before he turned and fled down the alley. Neo looked up to see the figure that had appeared and she noticed a cane in his hands. He turned to regard her with a mere passing glance as he adjusted his black bowler hat. He turned his gaze away as if to simply continue on his stroll but he paused as he stood upon a piece of parchment.

The man narrowed his sharp gaze at the paper as he righted it with his cane. "...Sanctum Academy, huh?" He turned back to the girl, "This yours, kid?" To this Neo nodded once, she was still in pain. The man paused before glancing up to the rain that fell down upon him, as if considering. Eventually he approached Neo as she tried to shuffle away from him. He knelt down besides her as he turned his head towards the direction the homeless man ran. "It feels good doesn't it? Seeing someone who was an ass to you get beat," The man smirked as he looked back to her. Neo seemed confused but she remained silent still. "Not much of a speaker huh? That's fine- Wait... I know you. You're that girl that's always on those shows, the one that changes her eyes. Ahh what was the name... Neopolitan right?"

Neo stared at the man before blinking as her eyes swapped their colours, as if confirming his suspicions.

The man chuckled, "Well fancy meeting a celebrity in a place like this... So Neo, I can call you Neo right?" He didn't wait for an answer, "My name's Torchwick, Roman Torchwick. I'm something of an entrepreneur in these parts, and I couldn't help but notice you have an interest in... Fighting? That is what they do in academies, right?" Once more Neo gave no response. "Well that's just great, for me and for you. So what if I told you that you've already done enough for the world, and that you can take whatever you want? Everyone owes you after all, you're a celebrity that provided entertainment. Something to look at and make people go, _"Wow, I wish that was my daughter"_. And you're not even like what, twelve?" Before Neo could even come up with a response the man stood up and offered his gloved hand down to her, "So why don't you come with me and we can get you something to eat that isn't some mouldy bread that a guy with bad breath already nibbled on?"

The girl hesitated as she took in his words. Slowly she reached up her hand towards his.

Roman grasped Neo's hand as he pulled her to her feet. "We'll have someone look at that wrist too. I know this great guy who usually specializes in removing Faunus parts, but boy oh boy can he do some crazy things with a knife," Roman smirked as he turned to walk down the alley with a hesitant Neo following after him. She had nowhere else to go after all.

* * *

Neo looked to the paper in her hand, pulling the pencil away from it. She had written a name upon the parchment: _Weiss_. In the past, whenever she expressed words or talked, misfortune soon found its way to her as a result. She had attempted it back in Atlas and as a result she had her arm broken. Silence kept her safe, but for Weiss she was willing to brave the dangers. She would express her love for her in ways she was unable to before. A smile appeared upon her lips as she brought the pencil back down to paper as her hand scribbled more words.

"Neo...? You're awake early..." Weiss groaned as she sat up in her bed. She looked suspiciously at her partner as she made her way towards her, arms wrapping around her form as she glanced over her shoulder. She saw what was in Neo's hand and what was written upon it; " _Weiss, I love you."_

With a happy smile Neo turned to look at Weiss, kissing her upon the cheek. Her partner was shocked that Neo had written anything down at all. She smiled as she looked back at Neo.

"I love you too," Weiss replied before Neo turned to wrap her arms around her and push her down upon the bed.

If only she had met Weiss sooner, then perhaps much would have been different.


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63

The villagers waved off the four with smiles as the group left the small village. With the sun shining down upon them they continued on their journey, this time heading north-east out from the village. They had been supplied with some food, water, and blankets as additional thanks for their work. They were as ready as they could be for their journey to Shion which, as the elder told them, was not far at all.

The road was absent of Grimm, and so idle chatter came into play between the four. Though only three of the voices were actually ever heard. Yang adjusted the strap of the large backpack she had been given as her lilac gaze shifted to Weiss, "So. How you doing Weiss?"

Weiss glanced back at Yang rather awkwardly, "Oh... You know, fine. How about you?"

Yang grinned and turned her attention forward towards the path, "Pretty good, thanks for asking."

"Why are you two being so weird?" Blake's golden gaze snapped to the two as she walked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Weiss shrugged her shoulders and tilted her chin up in a dismissive manner.

Blake's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Is this about last night?" Weiss' eyes grew wide as she peered around nervously.

Yang maintained her grin as her voice took on a sarcastic tone, "Last night? Hm... Last night... You know, I don't think I remember what happened last night. Mind filling me in Weiss?" The woman in question was clearly flustered as her eyes stared to the floor. As they walked Yang saw Neo come into view between her and Weiss, she had picked up her pace to separate the two and her eyes were locked onto the blonde in a rather serious manner. "Sheesh, okay I'll stop," Yang raised her hands up in apology to Neo. There was no doubt in her mind that the smaller woman could cause her some serious harm if given the chance again, and although they were on friendlier terms now, she still didn't feel like testing how far she could push her.

As Yang turned her head away, Neo noticed something. Her eyes strained as she looked to her neck, the tattoo was absent. She had barely looked at Yang since Weiss became a thing for her and so she hadn't noticed until now. She pondered briefly when she had it removed as her gaze turned away. There was a slight pang of depression in her heart, but she knew it was an improvement to how she would have felt if she had done it before she met Weiss. Casually she reached a hand up to her own tattoo of Yang's name upon her neck. Her fingers traced across the mark as it seemed to shimmer and fade. Her own one hadn't even been real.

The small woman did not realise that Weiss was watching her, and when she turned to meet her gaze she saw her smile. Weiss had always found the tattoo rather uncomfortable to look at, and it made her question who Neo truly wanted. She was happy to see her finally remove it, and with it was hopefully the final thoughts of desire she had for the blonde... Hopefully. Neo offered a smile in return but it was clear she was hurting if only a little, but that was to be expected. It could have been seen as a form of rejection, and everyone gets hurt by rejection. The girl was no different.

The sun and the clouds made their way over the sky as the four continued on the path. The area around them was lightly forested but they could see that a large clearing was approaching them. Beyond the clearing was a direct path leading to the grey and burnt ruins of the village of Shion. It was no surprise to them however, for they had already been told of its condition after all.

Approaching the village they quickly saw that many of the buildings had been burnt or destroyed entirely, as if it was sacked by an army and not a lesser group of bandits. Blake looked down as she idly flipped a brick with her foot, "So... Where do we start?"

Yang's lilac gaze shifted from left to right. The place appeared to have been picked clean, all that was left was debris. "Guess we go inside and just... Keep an eye out," Yang didn't sound so confident as she led the group into the village.

Everywhere they looked they saw only ruin. Nothing seemed to have been spared as she stepped over a ragged toy doll. After several minutes of walking they heard a voice mumbling around the corner. "Eyes... Eyes... Where did you go? Where did you run off to?" The voice cackled to itself quietly, it was clearly a man.

Yang peered back at the others as they remained silent, she gave them a look of concern. Perhaps it was a survivor who had hidden himself amongst the ruins all this time? She breathed in as she looked back to the corner. There was a face looking back at her. She was startled and let out a loud yelp as she stumbled back. The man screamed in response as he was startled in return by her reaction. There was an awkward pause as the man stared at the four with his wild amber eyes. His dark brown hair was tied back into a braid and he wore an open white vest. His expression took on a confused manner as his eyes glanced between the faces of all four who were as equally confused as he seemed to be.

"Child...? Four childs- No, plurals Tyrian. Must not forget the plurals! Four _children_..." The man narrowed his eyes as he squatted and held his chin thoughtfully.

"Um... Hi...?" Yang was the first to respond.

The man tilted his head at Yang before leaning forward slightly, "Hi."

There was once more an awkward pause. Yang looked to Blake for advice before the Faunus set her eyes on the man and asked him, "Who, uh... Who are you?"

The strange man seemed confused once more before he glanced behind himself. After seeing that there was nobody behind him he turned back to the four and pointed a finger towards himself as he whispered, "Me?" Blake seemed unnerved by his strange behaviour as she nodded. "Oh! Me! Introductions were never my strong suit, my mother usually did that for me," The man stopped to hold his hands together and look to the sky, " _Bless your soul mommy_." With that he looked back down to the four, "My name is... Mm... Tyrian. I'd tell you how to spell it but I forget how to, so if you want to write me letters you'll just have to hand them to me in person. You'll have to read them for me too."

Yang spoke cautiously, "You... Can't read?"

"Yes I can. But why should I do it myself? You're the one who wrote the letter."

"But I didn't send you a letter..."

Tyrian's gaze judged Yang in silence before he spoke in a darkening tone, "Wait... You're one of _them_ aren't you...?

Yang leaned back slightly in a concerned fashion, "One of who?"

Tyrian sprang up to his feet and took a step forward towards the group. Each of them took a step away from him. "Don't lie to me girl, I can see one when I... See one!"

"See what?" Yang raised her voice slightly in confusion.

"You're...! You...! You are...!" Tyrian shut his eyes tightly as if struggling to say the words, his body seemed to contort with each one that he spoke. "You use a scroll!" Tyrian declared as he pointed an accusing finger at a stunned Yang. "No more need for letters, parcels, no no no! Everyone just taps on their little bits of plastic and BOOM!" The man took another step forward as he yelled the last word with emphasis. He paused before stepping back as he threw his arms into the air dramatically, "There's no love for literature any more, it's dead. Dead I tell you!"

The four were frozen by the ravings of the madman as he panted heavily, there was a slight bit of drool hanging from his lip. Blake sighed silently, "Can you tell us where the next village is?"

Tyrian paused, his maddening gaze locked onto the group. He suddenly exhaled and squatted back down, his voice grew quiet and calm. "Yes, take the eastern path out of the village and then head north towards Higanbana."

"Thank you," stated Blake before leading the four past the man, she had no desire to spend another minute listening to his ramblings.

"No, thank you. Safe travels now," Tyrian smiled at the four and waved them goodbye. After they had moved from his sight he turned back to his digging. "Now where did you go little silver eyes? Mmm... I thought this would be easier; finding a child huntress outside of the academies-" He paused and slowly turned to face the direction the four had left. "Wait... Childs outside of the academies...?" His sharp amber gaze narrowed before widening suddenly, "Ah! No! Children! Plurals, Tyrian! Plurals!"

* * *

"Is he still screaming back there...?" Yang glanced over her shoulder as she heard a voice echo in the ruined village.

"Who cares. Let's just keep moving. I don't think we were going to find anything there anyway, but we might have more chance with actual people to ask," Blake remained with her gaze forward as they moved further from the ruins and back into a lightly forested area. The further they pressed on the more noticeably chilly the air became. The sun was lowering towards the horizon and their legs were starting to tire from the constant walking and so they came to camp within a small clearing off the path.

Yang saw to lighting the fire after the wood had been collected while the others set out their blankets down upon even ground. The sky above them was open as the canopy parted, revealing the dusk sky. The wood ignited into a small flame and slowly it was fed as its light grew more intense. With the chilly air the fire was welcomed as the night closed in. Yang dusted off her hands as she moved to lay herself down comfortably upon the bedroll that had been set out for her besides Blake's, the Faunus herself was sat behind Yang while Weiss and Neo had set up on the opposite side of the fire and sat together.

"How far off do you think we are from uh... What did he call it?" Yang tilted her head up to look at Blake.

"Higanbana," Blake answered as she stretched her arms over her partner so that she could warm them by the fire.

Weiss brushed a hand through her hair, "Your guess is as good as mine. I've never been to Mistral before."

"Hopefully we have enough food..." Yang sighed, glancing over to the backpack. They still had plenty left, but despite that the concern of running out remained. Her lilac eyes lingered for a moment before turning to Weiss with a grin, "I guess Neo will be fine-"

Blake tapped Yang upon the head with her knuckles, "Don't start."

"Aw c'mon Blakey, I was only kidding," Yang pouted as she looked up to her girlfriend with a mockingly apologetic expression. Upon the other side of the fire Weiss' cheeks were flustered once again as Neo idly leaned against her shoulder, her mismatched eyes watching Yang and Blake.

"Jokes aside, does anyone have a signal yet?" Blake glanced to the others as she checked her own scroll. As had been since they arrived, she barely had enough of a signal to call someone from the next town over.

Yang reached for her own scroll as her lilac eyes glanced over it, "Nope, but I'll try make a few calls anyway." The blonde's fingers began to deftly tap through screens and contacts.

Weiss frowned upon checking her own. Like the others, there was no signal to be seen and the same was as such for Neo. In a rather disappointed fashion Blake put her scroll away, "It's a wonder how the people of Mistral get by..."

"Guess they're just more like... Traditional? I mean, did you see the elder? He looked like some wise martial arts master or something. He probably knows like five forbidden techniques and nine ways to break your neck with a paper clip and a rubber band," Yang continued to call various contacts on her scroll but so far it appeared that the results were as expected. Nothing.

Blake rolled her eyes at Yang's typical wild imagination before something else caught her sharp gaze. She peered subtly over towards Weiss and Neo. Their attention seemed to be drawn elsewhere as something was held in Neo's hand. A pencil and paper. Neo stopped her scribbling and Weiss smiled at what she saw. "Weiss...?" Blake's curiosity got the better of her.

The silver-white haired woman was slightly startled by her friend's voice as she looked up to her. "Uhm... Yes?"

It appeared that Yang's attention had been caught as she looked from the Faunus to the pale woman. Neo subtly folded the paper in her hand and hid it from view as Blake questioned Weiss, "What was she doing?"

"...What do you mean?" Weiss looked to Neo with concern. For whatever reason or purpose it became clear to her that Neo did not wish for anyone else to see her writings.

"She was scribbling on a piece of paper, what was it? Was she writing something?" Blake continued with her questions. Yang suddenly seemed a lot more interested in Neo's actions, for writing was something she once tried, and failed, to make her do.

"I-..." Weiss paused as her eyes seemed to shift repeatedly between Neo and the others. Her voice grew more nervous. Neo wasn't giving her any hints as to how she'd want this situation handled and so she was left to decide for herself. "She-... It's a sensitive subject... For her..."

"So she _can_ write?" Blake pressed on.

"Blake," Yang's voice caught her partner's attention as she looked to her with a questioning look. "If it's sensitive we shouldn't push it, right?" Her lilac gaze glanced to Neo who had lowered her own eyes towards the fire, as silent as ever.

Blake paused in thought and suspicion as she looked to Neo. Eventually she closed her eyes with a sigh, "You're right. I shouldn't be prying."

Yang smirked and gave her a hard pat on the leg, it could only be assumed from the sound of the impact, and Blake's expression, that it stung. "That's my kitty!"

"You know if you start actually treating me like a pet we're going to have problems right?" Blake's voice was as calm as ever, it was clear she didn't want to come off as serious to someone as light-hearted as Yang but her words seemed to hold some weight to them.

"Oh? Sure you're not into that? I might be," Yang growled suggestively as she clawed her hand up at Blake who, like a parent dealing with a nuisance of a child, swatted her hand away dismissively.

For a moment she gave thought to lecturing Yang upon the oppression that Faunus face in day-to-day life, and how such jokes were in bad taste. But something about the blonde always seemed to melt her heart in a way that caused her to simply allow her to push her limits. Her eyes narrowed at the woman however, "Your jokes got a lot worse after your incident. Was it the source of your wit?"

"Ouch Blake, you're as cold as my fake arm," Yang chuckled in response.

"I thought it was meant to be warm?" Weiss' voice came from across the fire and caught their attention.

Yang looked down to her arm, "Yeah... About that. It does but it also kinda needs like... Batteries or something for that... It was warm for a while after I got it, but I need to call up Ironwood at some point now."

"The stuff they used to emulate skin doesn't get that cold though," Blake peered to the arm and then to Weiss as she spoke.

It seemed although Yang was about to add more to the conversation, but she halted as she looked to her scroll. "What is it?" Weiss couldn't see exactly what Yang was looking at through the flames, but Blake being behind her could see clearly.

Yang had been calling multiple contacts and they'd instantly decline as a result of them being too far away. But unlike the others, one contact in particular was not instantly declining. Upon the scroll was the name Ruby Rose.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64

"She has to be in that town...!" Yang stood up to her feet with her scroll clenched tightly in her hand.

Blake reached for her shoulder, "Yang, wait!" Her grasping hand reached nothing but air as her partner turned and ran. "Yang!" Blake called after the blonde as she gave chase, which in turn prompted Weiss and Neo to do the same as they left the comfort of the fire.

Through branches and bushes Yang soon found herself back upon the path. Her lilac eyes glanced left and right and she saw nothing. She knew the search was controlling her but she couldn't sit idly while Ruby was so near. She could be on the move, and before they knew it she would be gone again. It was the best, no, the only lead they had right now. She could hear the others following her as she turned to run down the path.

"Yang this is insane, it's dangerous out here!" Blake continued to give chase. Her eyes, as keen as they were, saw no danger in the darkness around them as of yet.

After several minutes of running Yang came to a halt. Blake caught up behind her but before she could say anything her eyes were drawn forward to what was ahead and down the small hill. It was the town of Higanbana. It was larger than the other settlements they had come across, but it was eerily silent. Not a single light could be seen; but that could simply be due to the hour.

Weiss and Neo caught up to the two and their gaze was also drawn to the village. "Is... Is that the town?" Weiss looked to Yang and Blake in a questioning manner.

Yang's lilac gaze narrowed for a moment, "See? We weren't even far, so now we can just find an inn, Ruby might be here too."

Blake turned an annoyed look to Yang, grabbing her arm tightly. "I get what this all means to you, but don't you dare do something like that again," warned the Faunus.

The blonde peered back at Blake and did not seem to heed her warning very well if her tone of voice was anything to go by, "Yeah, okay, I hear you." Blake's gaze lingered upon her for several more seconds before she released her arm and looked back towards the town.

With a heavy sigh she took a step forward, "Let's go then..."

* * *

They walked the first street of the town and the situation slowly began to dawn upon them. No door that they knocked came with a response. No person was walking the streets. No sign of life was to be seen anywhere. It was as if the inhabitants of the town had simply upped and left. Blake was leading the four with her superior sight as she turned a corner, "This... Something isn't right..."

"Shouldn't you try your scroll again?" Weiss looked to Yang who returned the glance. She nodded at her in response as she took out her scroll and called Ruby.

Neo's watchful gaze was ever vigilant as she came to a halt at the window of a building. She narrowed her eyes as she leaned closer towards it; yet inside was complete darkness. A strange sensation was flowing through her though, as if the air was still. She blinked and eventually she could only see her own reflection in the glass as she turned to follow after the others. When she left the window a single red eye opened behind it.

Yang and Weiss glanced back at Neo as she caught up to them before Yang's eyes returned to her scroll, "It's still ringing..."

"She has to be here then, right?" Weiss' ice blue eyes searched her immediate surroundings, but as had been since they entered... There was nothing that she could see.

Blake came to a sudden halt, "Stop."

The others did as told; coming to a halt. "What is it?" Yang approached with suspicion, but she didn't need Blake to answer her question as a red rose petal drifted past her lilac eyes. They all noticed it and soon enough they saw several more floating by. They turned their attention to where the trail was coming from and slowly began to follow it. Upon the ground they tread they found more petals and soon enough they were becoming many.

They turned a corner and before them they saw what seemed to be some form of church. It was large and wooden with a small door at the front. From the door fluttered more of the petals.

Anxiously Yang pressed on towards it, idly swatting the petals away from her gaze as she looked through the entrance. Inside the building she saw a figure cloaked in red with a large scythe in her hand. She had her back turned and she stood as still as a statue. Yang glanced back the others, "Keep an eye out, she looks..." Lilac eyes returned to the figure, "Afraid..."

Blake and the others nodded as they turned their back to the door; staying on guard. Weiss and Blake were at the front while Neo placed herself right in front of the door. Her mismatched eyes were glaring at the ground with conflicted thoughts.

Yang proceeded into the building itself; her steps slow and cautious as she made her way towards her sister. The rose petals seemed to blow from her cape and she noticed that it was tattered and worn, it was in similar condition to her scythe. The blade of the scythe appeared marked with dried blood. Grimm blood doesn't dry; it dissolves. Yang took note of these things as she came to a halt behind her sister and spoke in a calming tone, "Ruby...? It's me... Yang."

She received no response from her sister who continued to stand motionless.

"Ruby, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Yang reached her hand forward and grasped the shoulder of the hooded girl. She wasn't just seeing things, she was real. The head of the hooded figure moved slightly, as if trying to look back at her. The hood prevented any eye contact between the two. "Sis... I'm here, just say something to me..."

With her hand upon her shoulder she made to turn Ruby around. Her sister stumbled somewhat as she was forced to turn. Her face was finally coming into view. Yang's eyes widened as she let go of Ruby and stumbled back in horror. The face of her sister was covered with a mask of white; red lines traced it and in the centre was a glowing eye of yellow and red. The face of a Geist.

Outside the three remained, unaware of what was happening inside. Weiss glanced to her right as she heard something. It sounded like a creak of metal. She narrowed her gaze before she heard something snap along with the splitting of wood. Blake switched her gaze to the disturbance and she saw clearly in the night that a small water tower was falling towards the church. She looked back at the one in the most immediate danger, "Neo move!"

Startled by the voice, Weiss turned to see Neo as she shattered; the tower falling upon the entrance of the church and cutting them off from Yang. But Neo didn't re-appear as she glanced around with concern.

Yang saw the exit of the church as it caved in, and shortly after did Neo appear in front of it. Outside she heard the voices of her friends as they called out their names, and from behind was the sound of something slicing through the air towards her. Her metallic arm took the brunt of the hit as she was thrown across the floor; smashing through the pews before her back hit the wall. When she opened her eyes she saw Neo lunging towards her sister with her weapon at the ready. "N- Neo-! Don't!" Yang's voice cried out.

But Neo wasn't listening as she lunged her sword-tipped umbrella forward and towards the red-cloaked girl, her eyes were coloured a furious shade of red. The stabbing thrust was dodged as in a flash of red petals Ruby vanished. Neo landed upon the ground and activated her semblance as she lunged forward. Behind her she could already hear that Ruby had destroyed her clone; the scythe stabbing deep into the wooden floor. With a turn Neo thrust her weapon forward, though she was not expecting the scythe to blast the floor with a bullet as it burst from the wooden planks; sending splinters and fragments all around. The impact blinded Neo as she missed her strike. When she looked up she saw the scythe slicing towards her.

She was stronger than that.

Her image shattered as she reappeared before her target. Her leg sweeping into a kick against the side of Ruby's head as she stumbled from the impact. But she was not allowed to go far as Neo had flipped her umbrella and hooked the handle on her cloak; pulling her back as she swiped at her legs with her own. Ruby tripped, but before she could fall Neo's knee halted her descent with a blunt impact to the spine.

Ruby fell to the ground and was struggling to stand from the quick and decisive punishment as Neo pulled her blade from the umbrella sheath entirely. Her steps were brisk towards her victim. She had to kill her. Her advancement was halted as Yang appeared; blocking the way to her sister.

* * *

"We have to get inside!" Blake knelt before the rubble as she tried to clear it as fast as she could. They heard Yang yell Neo's name from inside and now they could hear fighting. Weiss was by Blake's side; assisting in removing the rubble.

"I don't get it, what are they fighting!?" Weiss pulled a large piece of wood from the entrance and threw it aside.

"You don't get it? It's clear! She finally snapped!" Blake responded in harsh fashion.

Weiss halted her actions as she stared upon Blake in disbelief; she had just accused the person she loved of turning against them. Her eyes suddenly narrowed as she withdrew Myrtenaster and aimed a thrust towards Blake. The Faunus heard movement and looked up in shock as the silver blade stabbed towards her. A loud screech pierced her sensitive ears as the blade was withdrawn from the body of a Grimm. She looked back to see the corpse of a Strigoi, dissolving into nothing.

"Where did-!?" Blake paused as she could hear it; a dozen flapping wings beating against the air. The screeches were becoming louder as she readied Gambol Shroud.

Weiss glanced around with alert as she looked for something. Her eyes paused as she saw it up high; clutching at the spire of a large clock-tower. The Sire. It was surveying the field of battle from above. From behind the tower a cloud of Strigoi appeared, they were swarming down towards them. Before they blocked the sight of the tower completely however, Blake and Weiss noticed something. There was a light growing behind the face of the clock, an orange glow as three shadows stood behind it.

* * *

"Neo you need to stop! We can fix this! We can fix her!" Yang yelled as Neo charged towards her. The blind rage in her expression was clear to see; there was no talking her down. Regrettably Yang readied her fists as Ember Celica, in their once-more complete dual set, activated. She swung her fist towards Neo; shattering her upon impact. She felt something stomp against the back of her head as she was pushed to the ground.

Neo had leapt off of Yang and towards her target as she crashed down with a thrusting stab once more. The scythe aimed up towards the woman as it fired off a shot, but it was useless as the umbrella opened and the bullet deflected from the almost unnatural fabric. Neo landed as her stab missed the mark again.

Yang stood back to her feet as she turned, but before she could stop Neo she was halted by the spectacle in front of her. Both Neo and Ruby were utilizing their semblances to their limits. All she could see was shattering images of Neo and a cloud of petals. Her eyes couldn't track either of them, and even if she wanted to intervene she was likely to get stabbed or sliced in half just from getting near. Not only that, but she could hear the fighting from outside. They needed her help, but so did Ruby and Neo.

Her lilac eyes focused. She was going to at least grab one of them, or try. She had to get them outside and to the others. Ember Celica aimed back behind her as she prepared to lunge. The whirl of petals and shattering images before her was incomprehensible but she had to try it. Her eyes flashed red as she fired her weapons; launching herself forward and towards the fight.

Cold metal reaped over her shoulder and a sting pierced her left leg, but she had grabbed something. Her momentum continued towards the rubble of wood at the exit and she braced for impact as she crashed into, and through it. Slamming and rolling against the ground, she emerged into the open air once more, but had been thrust into the thick of it as she realised the one she held in her arms was Ruby.

"Yang!" Blake called as she slashed two Strigoi from the air, she had scratches and marks across her form from the constant assault.

Weiss was quick to notice Neo emerge from the church, "Neo, are you okay!?" Her voice seemed to catch her partner's attention as she looked to her. There was a pause as the small woman thought to herself. Just why was she trying to sabotage what she had here? The blind rage and memories had overwhelmed her completely and she had lost sight of what truly meant more to her than revenge.

But this was no time for idle thoughts and feelings as more Strigoi descended from the mass above them. Yang tried to restrain Ruby as best she could be her thrashing and writhing was becoming too much as she broke free from her grasp. The blonde tried to catch her but she caught only petals in her hand, "Ruby!" She tried to stand and chase but the stab wound in her leg caused her to stumble. Her sister hadn't gone far however, as she saw her standing a few feet away from her. A black shadow blocked her from sight as something crashed into the ground before her; a single burning red eye glaring down: The Sire.

"Get away from her!" Blake hurled Gambol Shroud towards the great Strigoi as its tail flailed and coiled around before catching the weapon itself. It's burning eye continued to glare upon Yang as it tugged upon the weapon; activating the pistol built into it as it fired off a shot towards its wielder. Blake was unable to avoid the shot as she continued to hold onto the ribbon; the bullet slamming into her chest and knocking the air out of her. Thankfully her aura had been well maintained, but it was unlikely she could take another direct shot like that.

Yang turned with concern, "Blake!" It was all the distraction the Sire needed. It knew the two had a connection and it chose to abuse that fact as its long grasping claw clasped around Yang's neck, lifting her into the air before harshly slamming her into the ground. Simultaneously it pulled firmly upon Gambol Shroud with its tail as Blake refused to let go of her weapon. It swung her into the side of building as she crashed through the wooden wall. With no further use for such a lowly weapon the Sire released Gambol Shroud and dropped it to the floor as it picked up Yang by her golden hair. It's long and slender tail aimed its pointed tip towards her neck.

Amidst the fighting, Neo and Weiss saw Yang and quickly made to assist her. A great burst of flame appeared before them' halting their charge before it began. Neo stood in front of Weiss with her umbrella prepared as the flames ceased and revealed a woman clothed in red before them.

The woman had short dark hair and a patch over her left eye; a hideous scar beneath. Her voice was raspy as she spoke to the two, "Just why are you here...?" They both knew this woman as Cinder Fall; the woman who caused the fall of Beacon. Besides her were two others they knew, Emerald and Mercury.

"I should be asking that," came a voice from above. Weiss turned to see the white-vested man from the earlier town, he was perched upon a building. Cinder turned to the man with a look of disgust. Tyrian grinned down upon her, "You always were an ambitious little one, I told her to keep an..." The man paused to chuckle, "Eye... On you." His maddening gaze shifted to the Sire, it stood there with Yang still in its grasp as it stared silently upon him. Besides the Sire stood Ruby, the eye of the Geist following the Sire's gaze. "And you..." Tyrian pointed a finger at the Sire, " _You_ shouldn't be listening to her orders, _she betrayed us._ She's greedy. She wants it all for herself! And you, Geist, I want that girl's eyes when you're done with her!" Tyrian glanced at Cinder, "Translate that for me will you?"

Cinder's expression was furious as her eye pierced Tyrian, "No."

From behind her she heard the low growl of the Sire as it approached her slowly, Ruby following behind it. Yang flailed within its grasp as she struggled to breath; her kicks to its body doing little to bother it.

"It sounds like it wants one..." Tyrian grinned down upon Cinder, "And don't you go lying to it... It's smarter than most people..."

Neo and Weiss watched the scene unfold before them, they were in no position to do anything as the Strigoi sat perched upon every building they could see.

Cinder grit her teeth as she lowered her gaze, her voice almost a whisper. "You dare to upset my plans now? When I am so close?" Her eye glared up towards Tyrian who grinned back at her. "There won't be anything left of you!" Cinder extended her arm up towards Tyrian as she prepared to launch an attack. A thud came from behind her as a claw grasped her arm. Accompanied with a fearsome roar the Sire swung Cinder behind itself as she crashed into the floor.

"Cinder!" Emerald readied her weapons as she fired upon the Sire.

The Geist controlling Ruby glanced around, conflicted for a moment before she readied her scythe and lunged towards Emerald. Her attack was parried by Mercury as he intervened. Neo and Weiss saw this as their chance as they moved to assist Yang. The swarm of Strigoi gave out deafening screeches as they took to the skies once more, attacking anyone that wasn't Tyrian, Ruby or the Sire.

Tyrian stood up straight as he looked down at the chaos, "What madness! What absolute madness! I LOVE IT!" He cackled loudly as he withdrew his weapons; two pincer-like contraptions strapped to his wrists as he descended into the brawl.


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Her fist crushed into the chest of another Strigoi as it fell to the ground. She advanced swiftly with both hands at the ready as she delivered a right hook to another, and a left hook to a third. Ahead she saw one of the beasts charge towards her with its piercing tail at the ready. She caught the lunging strike as she swung the creature around by its tail and crashed it into several more of its kind. With a slight bit of breathing room she threw her arms out to the side as the spent casings were ejected from Ember Celica. With a quick reload she took aim to the dense swarm of Strigoi that circled the battle and unleashed consecutive shotgun blasts into their midst. She had to thin out as much of the swarm as she could before they were completely overwhelmed.

Her lilac eyes glanced to her right as she spotted Tyrian lunge towards Mercury with his pincer-like weapons. The silver-haired assassin narrowly avoided the strikes with trained efficiency before pressing onto the assault with a flurry of kicks. Each kick was parried by the madman that made his intentions clear; he wanted to kill the boy. Not out of any reason or logic, but simply because he wanted to. He cackled as he knocked aside another kick and pressed forward as his pincer like weapon came thrusting towards Mercury. The attack grazed his arm deeply as he stumbled back, but he was still intent on continuing the fight. With a kick he released a white whirling missile that made its way towards Tyrian in an erratic fashion. The madman once more avoided the attack as the missile continued on its course towards Blake.

The missile struck her clone as she glanced briefly to make sure Mercury was still occupied. But she had her own battle to fight as she narrowed her eyes and swung the cleaver-like blade of Gambol Shroud towards a green sickle; knocking aside the weapon as the chain was pulled back to towards its wielder. Blake utilized her own ranged form of attack as she threw the thinner blade at Emerald while maintaining a hold on the black ribbon. She performed multiple whipping strikes with the ribbon-attached sword as it fired off bullets in seemingly random directions. Each strike she made against Emerald seemed to cause her to disappear and reappear elsewhere. It was similar to Neo's semblance but with only one difference: Emerald's form of illusion seemed a lot less... Real. And so her seemingly random gunfire and wild whipping served a purpose. With a grunt of pain Emerald had been struck as her illusions came to a halt. Her aura had taken the brunt of the attack as she readied her sickles in preparation for some actual combat.

A ball of flame exploded the space between the two before they could re-engage, they turned to see where the misdirected fire came from. Cinder ducked beneath the deadly whip-like tail of the Sire as it stood tall and still; using the least amount of energy it could in order to fight. But Cinder wasn't a foe you could simply stand in one place with. The Sire's burning red eye glanced down as it noticed a strange fiery mark beneath its feet. With a single powerful blast from its wings the creature lunged forward as a bright pillar of flame erupted from behind it where it once stood. The greater Strigoi closed in towards Cinder as it allowed gravity to do its work. It landed with a heavy thud and made swift consecutive strikes with its clawed fingers. Cinder dodged and avoided the attacks with some effort as she shifted away from the Sire.

When she leapt away she'd realised she had played straight into the creature's predictions as its obscenely long tail was coiled at where her foot would land. As soon as her heel came into contact with the floor the tail wrapped tightly around her ankle and raised her up from the ground. Initially she was slammed straight back into it before being tossed up into the air. The Sire's single eye watched with intent as it remained still and saw the dozen Strigoi descend from the swarm above. The Grimm crashed down into Cinder and slammed her back into the floor. There was a brief pause before an explosion of fire erupted from where she was; incinerating the Strigoi around her.

The Sire's head seemed to lower slightly in a fashion similar to that of a predator; something about the eruption of fire seemed to strike a nerve with the creature, as Cinder stood back up on her feet. Her own eye narrowed towards the Sire as her raspy voice spoke out, "She was right to warn Tyrian that you had become somewhat... Sentimental..." A low growl came from the Sire as Cinder's right hand engulfed into flames. She raised her arm as a bolt of fire blasted against the swarm above; destroying several Strigoi. The Sire took a threatening step forward as its tail thrashed and whipped around behind it. "It's pathetic... Do you see yourself as some sort of father to them? To think that your species becomes so weak when it finally learns to place a value upon its life. You should have remained like your brethren; mindless," Cinder hissed her words as she unleashed another bolt of fire into the sky. The Sire gave out a blood-curdling roar as the swarm quickly began to disperse, and as a result Cinder's attack hit few.

Cinder prepared for the blind rage of the Grimm before her, but she was stunned to see that it was directed elsewhere. The Sire knew that Cinder, a maiden no less, would best it in a single fight. But what it could do was stack the odds against her as with a burst of its wings it launched towards Emerald who was unaware, as her focus was on Blake. In a blur the Sire passed by Blake's golden eyes as its tail coiled around Emerald's form. With a yelp of surprise the abducted woman found herself in the air. The powerful wings of the Sire halted as it flipped forward, the tail swinging Emerald around before releasing her and launching the woman down towards a wooden building. She crashed straight through the roof as the Sire turned its attention elsewhere. Tyrian had Mercury covered, so now it needed only dispatch of Yang's group.

The burning red eye spotted a head of silver-white hair amidst the darker surroundings. Weiss turned from her combat as her ice blue eyes met the Sire. Her posture straightened as she prepared Myrtenaster. The way she stood and held herself greatly annoyed the Sire, and amidst its rage it lunged down towards her. It crashed against the ground as Weiss leapt over its charge with the use of a glyph; an ability the Sire had not witnessed yet. When it turned it saw that Weiss was allowing it to stand, allowing it to recover. She held a gaze of superiority and there was nothing the Sire wanted more than to rip her face off and bite off what was left of her head.

Cinder quickly realised the beast's intent as she made to intercept its plans. A figure halted her in her steps as her eye narrowed upon the open umbrella. Neo smirked at her as she placed the umbrella over her shoulder. Cinder was partly to blame for Roman's death, so if she was going to claim vengeance, it might as well be her. Fire danced around Cinder's form as her palm lit up in flame, "Arrogant little bitch..."

Neo watched as her foe prepared to unleash upon her the wrath of a maiden, but the second before she did, she utilized her own semblance in a fashion she had not done in some time. A flash of bright light blinded Cinder as fire erupted from the palm of her hand and missed its mark, and instead scorching the ground. The smaller woman moved in as she ripped her blade from its sheath. She made a thrust towards her opponent, but Cinder had quickly recovered as she made a swipe with her hand that was trailed by flame. Neo halted her charge and stepped away from the swipe before making an arcing slash with her blade. Her eyes blinked into white as she realised just how outmatched she was. Just how foolish she was to have engaged Cinder alone. The woman's hand had simply clasped around her sword. A violent explosion shattered the weapon completely as Neo fell back against the ground with a broken blade in her grip, the pieces of sharp metal scattering all around.

Cinder stood above her as a sword of glass formed in her hand. She raised the weapon and brought it down towards Neo's image as it shattered into a thousand pieces. Neo delivered a sharp kick to her side which only lightly stumbled her adversary. The smaller woman's eyes remained a stark white as she now did her best to simply survive.

Across the field of battle, and now without Strigoi to fight, Yang found herself looking to assist the others. She spotted Neo as she struggled to fend off Cinder. She saw her stumble and attempt to retreat. She saw her need for help. Yang's eyes flashed red as she began a limping charge for the aid of her friend, but something at the back of her head wouldn't stop bugging her. She was forgetting something...

Crescent Rose came sweeping in towards her as she was forced to stop and defend herself. The slash swiped against Ember Celica and barely managed to prevent a serious injury as she fell back against the ground. Before her stood her sister, Ruby, who until now had been stalking the outskirts of the battle for easy targets. Yang had become one such target. The blonde stood up to her feet as behind Ruby she saw Neo continue to struggle and even take a glancing hit to the arm from a blade of glass, yet the obstacle in front of her refused her passage.

A scream was heard, a man's scream. Various eyes glanced to the source as Mercury gripped his shoulder while stumbling away from a laughing Tyrian. Blood smeared the madman's weapon. Auras were finally beginning to deplete as the fight had been continuing, and soon everyone would be taking lethal attacks. For Mercury it was looking grim as his wounded shoulder now impeded him. Tyrian lunged ahead with an arcing cut as his weapon slashed against Mercury's chest; ripping into flesh and sending a spatter of blood to the ground with another cry of pain.

Yang looked forward once more. She had to get past Ruby soon, or otherwise Tyrian was going to join the fray and make things take a turn for the worst. Crescent Rose came sweeping towards her once more as she pushed herself from the path of its cut. Her wounded leg wasn't helping her as she quickly tried to run by her sister. A flash of petals appeared as she once more blocked her path with a cut from the scythe. There was no more time to hold back as Yang whispered an apology to herself as she aimed a straight punch towards her own sibling. The attack was parried with ease as Ruby made a counter and forced Yang even further back. Over Ruby's shoulder she could see that Neo had now taken a few more hits, if nothing changed she wasn't going to last much longer. She had to do something now. Lilac eyes spotted Emerald who had reappeared and assaulted Weiss. Blake had engaged the Sire in one on one combat near Cinder and Neo. She was their best bet and so she tried to call out to her, "Bl-!"

Her call was quickly halted as she was forced to avoid Crescent Rose once more. The Geist controlling Ruby would not even allow her to speak as she was forced to watch her friend struggle in the distance.

Various buildings had began to burn from the constant use of Cinder's fire, and so the night was filled with embers and rose petals that scattered with the wind. Neo raised her umbrella to block another strike from Cinder's blade. The impact alone forced her back as she panted. The few scrapes and knocks she had taken already pained her greatly. A single direct attack would take her down for sure. She was alone in this fight against Cinder, and nobody was coming to save her. She grit her teeth as she utilized her semblance to form a clone of herself. But Cinder already knew her tricks and her sharp gaze watched as dust was kicked up from seemingly invisible footsteps. Her blade may not strike her directly with the lack of a visual target, but she would strike her never the less.

Neo's clone shattered, but not from an impact against it. The real Neo fell to the ground, clutching her ribs as the blunt side of Cinder's weapon had struck her directly. The pain surged through her body and she found it difficult to breath as her eyes watered. She watched as Cinder's attention was seemingly drawn elsewhere. For a moment Neo believed that help had arrived, that someone was going to save her. Her white eyes followed Cinder's as she saw Blake had been thrown to the ground besides her by the Sire, who turned to engage the others. Cinder smirked as she raised both open palms to aim upon Blake.

The Faunus groaned from her impact to the ground as she looked up to see Cinder as she took aim. Her golden eyes widened as she saw the bright fire erupt from her hands. She shut her eyes tight as the sound of burning heat rushed through the air; destroying everything in its path.

Through pain and suffering Neo had thrown herself into the path of the fire as she opened her umbrella against it. She utilized dust to form a cyan barrier that blocked the flames as they poured around the edges. Her eyes widened as she realised just how powerful the attack was, and as a result she quickly gripped her umbrella with both hands as her heels slid back against the dirt. She couldn't hold it back.

Blake saw that Neo had come to her rescue, but she could also see that she was struggling. Her hands pushed up from the ground as she made to pull her from the path of the fire, so that she could save the two. But she realised she couldn't, she realised only one of them was going to get out of this alive. There was no way they could both get out; the fire would consume them as soon as the barrier dropped.

Neo could see the barrier as it started to shudder and fade under the power of the maiden. She didn't know if Blake was still behind her, or if she managed to get out. Her white eyes blinked into blue as she saw the cyan barrier break. The fire seemed to consume her vision as it flowed around the umbrella. She was surrounded as her last defence began to burn against the attack. She saw bright lights appearing from her umbrella where the fabric was being burned through, and the metal shaft of the object started to burn her hands as it conducted the heat. All she could hear was the roaring flame, and all she could feel was its blistering heat.

One last attempt...

Weiss halted as she heard a voice. It called her name and it seemed familiar, but she had never heard it before. Her blue eyes turned to the source as she saw a jet of flame pierce the darkness. It quickly faded as embers drifted from where it was seconds ago.

Icy eyes widened as they watched the burnt metallic skeleton of an umbrella slowly and gently float down from the sky; spiralling towards the ground silently.


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Ice blue eyes remained open and wide as they stared at the charred remains of the umbrella. The place where she stood was marked with scorched earth. There was nothing left. The sound of ongoing fighting was all around her yet she remained frozen at the sight. Several gunshots fired towards Cinder as the bullets bounced off her aura and with the final one striking her in the temple. Her head titled as the aura once more took the brunt of the impact. Her eye shifted towards Blake who was on the ground; the entire left arm of the Faunus was burnt and the sleeve of her jacket was non-existent. She had barely avoided the flames as she continued to fire more bullets towards Neo's killer with a pained expression. With minimal effort Cinder held her palm up to each one; deflecting the shots with ease as she prepared to finish her off.

As the flames flickered in her hand she was abruptly forced to the ground as the Sire appeared from above, planting its talon against the back of her head and slamming her face into the floor before it leapt away from her. Its wings flapped against the air as it came towards Weiss who still stood frozen. Blake's eyes followed the Grimm and she cried out Weiss' name as it charged towards her. In what futile attempt she could manage; Blake raised Gambol Shroud and hurled it towards the Sire. But her throw was weak and barely had enough strength to catch the creature. She missed.

Weiss saw the fangs of the Sire as it opened its maw in preparation for attack. Suddenly its course was thrown off as an echoing blast of gunfire slammed into its body. Its grasping claw carved towards Weiss' face as she recoiled from the hit before the Grimm crashed into the ground and hurdled towards Tyrian and Mercury; slamming into the former who was about to deliver a final strike to the wounded assassin.

The Sire was quick to stand back to its feet as its keen eye searched for the gunman. It spotted something as a second shot fired and it took to the air. The bullet slammed into Tyrian who was attempting to recover from being knocked down. The impact behind the shot alone was enough to throw the man back several feet as Emerald arrived at Mercury's side. She attempted to drag him away from the carnage before she saw what the Sire had seen. Two men had appeared; one was wielding a large blade while the other wore two gauntlets.

The latter split off and towards Yang who was barely holding her own against Ruby. She had no desire to harm her sister and so held herself back willingly. Though, even if she could treat her like an enemy, her fighting spirit had been dampened when she witnessed Neo's demise. There was no fire in her dull eyes as she weakly raised her arms to block the blade of the scythe that pushed her to the ground. Before it could deliver the final blow she saw Taiyang's fist crash into the weapon as he dived into the fray. The impact from his gauntlet disarmed Ruby as Crescent Rose clattered upon the floor some distance away. The Geist controlling Ruby looked to its weapon as it prepared to use her semblance in pursuit of it. "Hold it right there!" Taiyang swiftly had his arms wrapped around Ruby; pinning her own in place as she kicked her feet in a struggle to free herself.

Cinder stood back up to feet as she growled. Blake had left her and fled towards Weiss in order to aid her; her face was bleeding. Cinder's right arm ignited into flame as she brought it back and made to hurl a jet of fire towards the two as she had done to Neo. The sound of running steps alerted her to Qrow's presence as she turned and made to avoid the arcing slice of his blade. It was too narrow a slice as it cut into her right arm deeply while her aura finally collapsed. She stumbled back in pain as a bullet fired from Qrow's weapon pierced her left shoulder.

As ever watchful of the battlefield, the Sire descended from above once more. It had seen the wounds inflicted to Cinder and flew down towards her. It's long slender tail wrapped around her as it took to the sky. Qrow glanced up as his foe quickly moved out of range. "Cinder!" called Emerald as she saw her abducted by the Sire. Several shots were fired from Qrow to the sky before the two moved away from his line of sight. Tyrian spotted that Ruby had been captured and that the Sire had abandoned him. His battle was lost as he begrudgingly fled down one of the many exits of the street.

"Qrow! Give me a hand here, we need to get it off her!" Taiyang called out as Qrow narrowed his eyes in the direction Cinder and the Sire had vanished to. He turned and saw Emerald and Mercury escaping around a corner. With an annoyed sigh that his targets had escaped he swiftly made his way towards Ruby. First he passed Weiss and Blake and he offered them an apologetic gaze as if he was too late to stop any serious harm from happening.

"Dad-" Yang's voice began as she looked up to her father as he restrained Ruby.

"Just give me a second to get this damn thing off Ruby!" Taiyang struggled to keep a hold on the writhing girl as Qrow reached them.

"Hold her still," Qrow dropped his weapon as he moved both his hands towards the Geist mask upon Ruby.

Blake looked over to the two as she stood besides Weiss. Her arm burned in agony but she didn't notice that Weiss had turned to stare up at the Sire. It was some distance away now as it carried Cinder towards the tall clock-tower. It seemed to fling Cinder straight into the face of it as she smashed through. The beast then quickly pursued her into the tower. Weiss had three deep cuts under her left eye; wounds that were inflicted upon her by the Sire as it missed its charge. The blood trailed down her face as her ice blue eyes narrowed with murderous intent. She harshly shoved Blake aside as she fell to the floor in pain.

The Faunus looked up at her in shock and confusion as she saw a large white glyph appear behind the woman as she crouched low in preparation. "Wait! Weiss don't!" Blake tried to reach out to her but it was too late. With a powerful impact the dirt on the ground was kicked up as the glyph activated and propelled Weiss straight towards the clock-tower like a silver bullet. "Weiss!"

Qrow, Taiyang and Yang all looked towards where Weiss was once stood. "No! Dad you have to get to her, they'll kill her!" Yang attempted to stand but the wound upon her leg only caused her to stumble. Qrow looked to Taiyang and they both shared a silent glance of consideration.

* * *

The Sire picked up Cinder and threw her up against the rafters, her body cracked the wood as she fell back to the ground a few feet away from the Grimm. The Sire stood before the opening in the face of the clock-tower. There was an orange glow raising from the burning village as it spread out its wings and stood tall before giving off a fearsome roar. It's voice was cut short as something white and swift slammed into its back. A slice and a pierce was made against the flesh of the Sire before it was pushed forward; turning and digging its nails into the floorboards in order to stop itself. The Sire's single burning eye saw Weiss already pressing on with the attack as her rapier came piercing towards it. With a flap of its wings it jumped up into the dark rafters above. With the Sire out of the way Myrtensaster continued its course towards Cinder who grit her teeth as she unleashed a swathe of flame with a swipe of her hand.

The flames lashed at Weiss as she stumbled with her momentum and crashed into the ground. She slammed into various crates at the back of the tower as they fell down upon her. Cinder quickly turned her single eye to the rafters above. She could neither see nor hear the Sire as it no doubt lurked within the shadows. She heard something fall to her left as she quickly looked to see that an old broomstick had fallen to the floor with a long tail quickly retracting back into the darkness. Her eyes widened as she felt something grasp around the back of her neck; the Sire having used its long tail to create a distraction.

The crates were pushed aside as Weiss stood up from behind them. She brought her right hand to Myrtenaster as she spun the dust revolver and aimed the blade forth. Her blade flashed yellow as a bolt of lightning fired from the tip of her rapier. The arcing and erratic pattern of the electricity missed its mark as it struck the Sire instead; causing it to drop Cinder to the ground as it was pushed away. The lightning caught one of the wood pillars and promptly sparked a fire.

With the yellow dust still loaded Weiss formed a glyph beneath her feet that glowed the same colour. Her eyes narrowed as her glyph of haste activated and she used a second white glyph to lunge herself towards Cinder at a blurred speed. The rapier pierced Cinder's already wounded shoulder as she let out a cry of pain. Before she could even react she saw another white glyph materialize and felt another stab in her side, and another from behind, and then again from her flank. She was riddled with several new stab wounds before she fell to the ground.

The Sire recovered from the bolt of lightning that had scorched the bone plating upon its body. With its keen eye it spotted Weiss amidst her consecutive attacks before lunging its tail towards her in a spear-like fashion. The predictive strike of the tail was too soon as it missed a direct impact with Weiss' legs. Though it did trip her up as she fell against the ground and slammed into another wall from her own abused and reckless momentum. The gaze of the Sire briefly drifted to Cinder and it deemed her as unable to threaten it any further. That left only Weiss to deal with as it looked to where she had crashed against the wall. But she was gone already. The sensitive ears of the Sire twitched as it heard her footsteps coming towards its flank. With a turn it whipped its tail out towards her and collided into her chest. The whip slammed her back against the floor before she rolled back onto her feet.

The fire was spreading around the clock-tower as it flickered up at the rafters above and slowly consumed one side of the room. The Sire stood tall and proud before its victim. It wanted to display to her that it was superior, that it was greater in all aspects. It wanted to break her. Weiss audibly growled as she gripped her weapon tightly. She had lost any semblance of her correct posture and stood panting. She ran into a charge as she screamed at the Sire in anger, she gripped her blade in both hands as she brought it back into a brutal and savage swing unlike anything she had performed before. The Sire took a single step back and avoided the slash before it whipped its tail around towards her. With swift reactions Weiss rolled beneath the tail as she stood quickly to her feet and lunged her rapier towards the Sire. The Grimm deftly avoided the stab before Weiss moved into another rage-induced slash. The Sire was all but ready to avoid the range of Myrtenaster, but somehow a larger almost ethereal blade had appeared alongside the rapier. This blade was far wider, far longer and far more powerful.

With a roar of pain the Sire was cut as it stumbled back. It glanced down to its chest to see that the bone plating had been slit and a black ooze seeped from the new opening. It's burning eye only grew more intense as it looked back up to Weiss and took on a more primal form as it lowered itself into an all-fours sprint towards her. Both the creature and once-heiress had tossed aside all notion of nobility and grace in one savage attempt to kill each other. The Sire dived at Weiss and caught her in its claws. It tumbled against the ground before standing up with her in its grasp. It swung her around and slammed her into a wooden pillar; the pillar itself was smashed through as wooden debris collapsed onto the Sire, which forced it to release Weiss as she fell to the ground.

The blunt impact had broken her aura but she still had the strength to fight as she used her rapier to stand back up to her feet. The wooden debris were scattered as the Sire burst forth from them once again. It's tail lunged forward and speared itself through Weiss' right shoulder. She let out a cry, but it was less of pain and more of rage as the adrenaline let her fight through the damage. She slashed her rapier down upon the tail and cut it in two. The Sire flailed the stump of its tail around wildly, it was now becoming nothing more than a monstrous and mindless foe as it carved at the air towards her with its razor claws whilst roaring fiercely with spit flying from its mouth. Weiss took a sharp cut to her left arm, and another to her right as she stumbled back from each hit. The Sire was defeating her, and with each cut it delivered, she felt herself grow weaker. Her blood stained her white clothes scarlet as the Grimm grasped her by her throat and in a final attack it threw her harshly into a wall.

Weiss fell to the floor and didn't stand back up. The Sire panted as its single eye watched her intently to ensure that she was dead. The fire consumed more of the tower and there was little left for it to take before everyone would burn. A section of the tower could be heard collapsing as the walls creaked and splintered while the Sire continued to watch the lifeless body of Weiss before it finally regained its posture. In one final display it spread its wings wide in victory, it had bested those who dared challenge its supremacy.

A blast of wind abruptly forced itself upon the open wings of the Sire as it suddenly attempted to dig its talons into the floorboards beneath it. It couldn't close its wings due to the constant wind and it was confused. It's eye turned to Weiss and it saw her as she aimed Myrtenaster straight at it. A continuous gush of wind was emitting from the end of the rapier. The clawed feet of the Sire dragged back against the wood and it could feel the heat growing closer from behind it. It was being pushed into the fire.

The Sire roared in anger as spit and phlegm emitted from its mouth, it cared nothing for appearances now as it felt itself drawing closer to the flames. It's shortened tail flailed and grabbed at anything within range as it tossed wooden planks and various objects at Weiss in an attempt to stop her. The objects struck at her but she endured the pain as she kept Myrtenaster aimed. The Sire continued to roar in desperate protest before the floorboards beneath its talons gave in and were pulled from their place. The beast screamed as it was pushed into the fire, and the second it was within the burning flames more debris collapsed upon it; trapping it in an inferno as its life was slowly taken from it while its screeching persisted.

It wasn't over though. There was something else she needed to do as she struggled back to her feet. She was bloodied and tired as she stumbled her way to Cinder who was sitting down against a wall in no condition to fight back. Her single eye watched as Weiss approached her and halted. No words were shared between the two as Weiss glared upon the woman and aimed Myrtenaster towards her. Cinder smirked as she welcomed the swift death. The cries of the Sire were slowly beginning to fade.

Weiss brought her hand to the dust revolver upon Myrtenaster and she spun it. Cinder narrowed her eye as she heard the clicks of the dust chambers switching before they halted. Weiss' eyes briefly glanced down to the selected dust; it wasn't the one she wanted. Steadily she brought her hand back to the revolver and spun it again. Cinder's expression was becoming concerned as she listened to the soft clicks of Myrtenaster. The revolver came to a halt as Weiss once more looked to it. Wrong again...

"Wh- What are you waiting for!? Do it already!" Cinder grit her teeth as Weiss remained silent. She spun the revolver for a third time. She heard something behind her break. It might have been the fire causing more damage, or it might have been someone else. She didn't care.

The revolver came to a halt as Weiss glanced down to it once more. Red. Her ice blue eyes looked back up to Cinder as she steadied her aim. The woman saw as the blade pointed towards her took on a red glow and her eye widened.

"No- Wait-!" Cinder began before a jet of flame was unleashed upon her. She screamed in agony as the fire engulfed her entirely; a constant stream of burning pain. Weiss watched silently and with intent. She watched as everything this person was in front of her became undone. She gave her the same fate that she forced upon Neo. The screams filled her ears and soon enough it was the only thing she could hear. The figure beneath the flames was hard to make out, there was a flailing arm here, a twitching leg there. She had to see it all though, she had to know that it was final. The smell of burnt flesh quickly filled her senses as the jet of flame continued. Soon the screaming stopped and all she could hear was the crackling of wood and the burning flames. But even then, she kept going as footsteps slowly approached her from behind.

Myrtenaster stopped emitting flame, but it wasn't of Weiss' own choice. She ran out of dust. It was then that she saw something glowing amidst the ashes and the fire that was left behind. Her eyes were blinded with light as she felt something surge throughout her body. For a brief moment it was painful but it quickly faded. Her vision returned to her and her body felt... Heavier. "Feel better now?" came a voice from behind her.

In silence Weiss turned to see Qrow looking back at her; he was stood before the smashed clock-face of the burning tower as he held out a hand towards her.


	67. Chapter 67

Chapter 67

The clock tower began to crumble as the flames consumed it whole. They could hear a loud creak as one of the main supports gave way and the whole structure came tumbling down into a burning wreckage. Yang and Blake watched in horror as the dust kicked up in the distance. They were stunned for words and within the belief that Weiss and Qrow were still in the tower when it fell. Their vision was drawn ahead as they saw a figure approaching from around the corner; it was Qrow and behind him was Weiss. The latter was bloodied and beaten and her once glistening eyes were now dull and void of emotion as they stared to the ground. Behind her she dragged Myrtenaster which scraped against the dirt.

Before they reached Yang and Blake, Weiss paused and looked to the blackened scorch-mark upon the ground. Within the mark sat what was left of Neo's umbrella. Qrow stopped to glance back at her; his expression frowning slightly before he continued on towards the others. Weiss approached the umbrella and stared down upon it. Slowly she knelt as her hand grasped around the charred remains of the shaft. The black rubbed off of the metal and onto her hand as she picked it up into her grasp. She wasn't sure how many of the ashes on the ground belonged to Neo and how many belonged to whatever else used to be there, maybe none at all belonged to her and were instead blown into the wind already. Her grave would be empty regardless.

"Weiss..." Blake winced and approached her friend steadily as she reached out her right arm towards her shoulder. Before she could comfort her she turned and avoided the hand. She didn't even look at the Faunus as she made her way closer to the others. Blake watched as she was ignored and the thought that Weiss might have blamed her for Neo's death crossed her mind. She frowned and lowered her head dejectedly.

Yang watched the two with a saddened expression before looking to Qrow who came to a halt in front of her. The man gave out a drawn sigh, "She didn't need help."

Lilac eyes widened in realization, "She... She killed her?" There was a line that none from team RWBY had crossed, and that line was murder. Weiss may have been justified in what she did, but taking another's life was a point of no return.

"Yeah... She did. I won't give you the details but..." Qrow's red eyes glanced over to Weiss who now stood still and silent; she was faced away from the group. "She's gonna need her friends." Yang's frown deepened as she also looked to Weiss before nodding to Qrow.

"Qrow, we can't stay here forever," Taiyang called out as he held Ruby in his arms; she was unconscious and the Geist mask was absent, yet it appeared to have left lasting effects upon the young girl as her skin was paler than usual and red veins covered small sections of her face.

Qrow nodded in response to Taiyang, "You're right. Let's move, the nearest village isn't far." The man turned to once more regard Weiss before looking back at Yang, "Go see her. You probably have more chance of moving her than I do."

Yang's eyes drifted towards Weiss before she gave Qrow a confirming nod. She walked with a slight limp as she approached the woman. The blonde was quick to take note of just how many wounds she had. The sleeves of her once white coat were simply... Red. Stained with her own blood. Before she could speak to her, Weiss seemed to sway back and forth lightly. In silence she collapsed. "Weiss!" Yang was quick to catch her as she fell back unconscious. Her loss of blood had been enough to make her faint as Myrtenaster and Neo's umbrella fell to the floor.

"That makes things easier, just carry her." Qrow's voice called out to Yang. The blonde glanced to the weapons upon the floor before she lifted Weiss up into her arms. The woman was light, almost as light as Neo was. Her lilac eyes glanced around to meet golden ones as she turned to Blake.

"Blake, can you grab those?" Yang gestured with her head towards the weapons upon the floor. Blake nodded as she maintained her frown and knelt down to pick up the rapier and the umbrella. She paused as her hand came into contact with the cold charred metal. It was true she never liked Neo much... But she didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to die. To think that she had done so for her own safety too. When Blake thought about it, she wasn't sure if she would have been able to show the same kindness to her if their positions were reversed. Just what was that girl thinking when she threw herself in front of the fire? She stood back up with the weapons in hand as she turned to glance at Weiss in Yang's arms. Shortly after, the group left the burning village.

* * *

The night was late now, some time past midnight perhaps. Everyone was tired and most were in pain from their wounds. The cuts upon Weiss had dried with the blood as they clung to the sleeves of her jacket. Yang had wanted to apply bandages to her using anything they could, but pulling the sleeves from her arms would simply re-open the wounds and cause her to bleed even more than she already had.

Yang walked besides Qrow who was leading the group. She looked to him and asked, "Should we rest for a bit...?"

Qrow never looked back to her as he kept on marching, his voice grew quiet in response, "We're not sure how much time we have left... Ruby? She'll be fine. But your friend there...? I'm not gonna sugar coat it kid. She might die before we even make it to the village. She lost too much blood and while she ain't losing any more it still might just be enough to make this the last time she closes her eyes."

The blonde peered down at Weiss. She felt cold in her arms, yet she was still breathing. "Isn't there something we can do...?"

"Yeah. Keep moving," Qrow continued on. He finally glanced to Yang as he looked to her wounded leg. "Want me to carry her the rest of the way?"

Yang shook her head, "It's fine, I got her."

An hour or so later and the group pressed on through the night as they emerged into an open field beneath the clear star-filled sky. The moon gleamed down upon the plains and made their path visible beneath its silver light. The wind was dead and filled the air with silence. The dirt path led them atop a small hill and Yang had hoped to see the village over its horizon, but there was nothing. Her face grew with concern as the woman in her arms grew colder and paler. Her short breaths were beginning to stagger and there was still no help in sight. She looked to Qrow for answers, for a way that he could help like he so often could. He simply regarded her with a sorry expression as he pressed on, as if he already knew the answer and had not the heart to share it. His crimson gaze stared on ahead over the silent fields of grass, "We can only walk faster..."

With that, Yang's pace quickened as she glared ahead at the path. Her limp became more obvious as she staggered each step forward.

Qrow watched her, "Yang, I'll carry her."

"I've got her," Yang stated clearly as she kept pressing forward. Blake and Taiyang matched her pace as they walked behind. She couldn't lose another friend in the same night, she just couldn't.

But half an hour later, and with her quickened pace, she continued to see no village ahead of them. Each small hill they climbed only revealed another behind it. As a result her hope was waning quickly. She held Weiss tighter as she took another step forward and stumbled heavily. She almost fell but regained her balance. It was quickly dawning on her that not even she would be able to make it to the village before morning with the state her leg was in.

Taiyang's voice called out, "Yang, stop."

It was those words that struck fear into her heart. To stop would either mean Weiss had little time left, or it had ran out already. Her lilac eyes looked down upon her, she was still and cold. She shook her slightly and she saw another shuddering breath escape her lips. She was still alive, but it wouldn't be for long. Perhaps it was simply time to accept that Weiss wasn't going to make it. That she was going to die here in her arms. Yang's lower lip quivered as tears formed in her eyes. She inhaled a deep breath before she felt a soft hand upon her shoulder, "Come on kid, don't get emotional yet. There's still time."

Yang narrowed her eyes as she looked to Qrow, she was about to lash out at him with rash words but she was halted as she looked over his shoulder. The village wasn't ahead of them; it was to the side and nestled behind a blind spot. She pushed past Qrow and quickened her pace down a second path she hadn't noticed. Her eyes were so focused ahead that she didn't realize they had come to a crossroad.

There were small lights dotting the village, they were lights that renewed her hope as she endured the pain in her leg. Weiss was going to be okay.

* * *

A golden light forced her to shut her eyes tighter. Her body felt heavy and her heart felt heavier. Maybe when she opened her eyes she'd realise it was all just a dream, and she would find Neo laying besides her. She opened them and glanced away from the morning rays of the sun. Besides her she saw no one. Her neck ached as she looked to her right instead, once again there was nobody there. Her expression dulled as she realised it was no dream. The room she was in was small and and she could see the blue sky outside the window.

What right did the sky have to look so clear and peaceful on a day like this? She made to move her arm and winced. Her cold blue eyes glanced down to see that her arms were both bandaged from shoulder to wrist. There was also something on her face where she was clawed by the Sire, and her right shoulder felt tight as another bandage was wrapped around the pierced flesh. She was in a broken state and she could barely move herself.

There was something else though. Something that was new. She couldn't describe the feeling, but she felt... Complete. There was a cold draft in the room, but it confused her. There were no open doors or windows and it seemed like it was warm the day they made for Higanbana. Was she simply asleep for so long? Was she even in Mistral? Her cold eyes caught a glass of water upon the bedside table. She winced once more as she reached her arm out towards it. Her body ached as she leaned onto her side and her arm shook as it extended out towards the water. She saw condensation upon the glass as her fingers neared it. There was a soft cracking sound too.

Her hand knocked over the glass by mistake but once the cup fell she noticed that the water inside was frozen solid. She was puzzled as she pulled her arm back, her fingers tracing upon the table as lines of frost formed upon it where she touched. She rested her arm back upon the bed and realised that the quilts themselves had a thin layer of frost over them. Her pillow too, her whole bed in fact. Yet she didn't feel bothered by the cold. Unsure with what was going on, she glanced side to side as her eyes searched for the memento she had taken from Higanbana: Neo's umbrella. Yet she saw no sight of the object. Her cold blue eyes stared back towards the ceiling. The walls and the ceiling of the room were slowly gaining the same sheet of frost as everything she touched. She could even see her breath in the air in front of her.

Maybe it was a dream after all. Maybe she was still dreaming. There was still a chance Neo could be alive and well, and she could forget about everything that had happened. Eventually the room sparkled with golden shimmers as the light from the sun reflected from the frost that coated everything. Even her body and her silver-white hair were coated in a thin layer of the same frost. She closed her eyes in the hopes that she would simply wake up again, but no matter for how long or how many times she'd open them again, she was met with the same harsh reality.

She exhaled a visible breath as she pulled her quilt aside. She was in nothing but her underwear and an assortment of bandages as she struggled to sit herself up in her bed. When she sat upright she noticed how dizzy she felt and so she brought her hand to her head as if in an attempt to steady herself. When she felt confident enough she pushed herself to the side of the bed and stood up. The frost beneath her feet crunched as she walked over it and towards the window. Outside she could see that it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and children were playing in the nearby field.

Her eyes stared out at the scene lifelessly. There was so much hope and joy in this place. It felt wrong to hate them for the fun they were having and she knew they had no idea what had transpired... Yet she couldn't help but despise what she saw. She reached her hand towards the glass of the window, but it quickly fogged up and froze the closer she got. She had no idea what was happening to her or why things were reacting in the way they were to her touch.

She slowly lowered her arm and gazed into her own distorted reflection that was left behind by the layer of frost. Her reflection was scattered, as if a mirror had been shattered and frozen in place. She could see a large plaster upon her cheek that was stained red in blood. Another imperfection.

There was a crack behind her; it came from the door as someone had attempted to open it. The frost had grown thicker and made the door slightly more difficult to open. It pushed open as it brushed audibly against the floor. Weiss could hear someone call her name.


	68. Chapter 68

Chapter 68

"How... How did you find us...?" Yang was sat upon a sofa besides her father. To their left in a separate chair was Qrow, and before them all was a burning hearth that warmed the small room. They had taken shelter in the village and finally had a moment to look back on what happened.

Taiyang glanced at Qrow who offered him a light shrug in return; as if he was gesturing for him to explain. The light haired man sighed quietly before looking back upon his daughter, "We... Didn't. We had no idea you were even in Anima."

Yang blinked in surprise, "Then how did you...?"

Their attention was once more drawn to Qrow as he spoke, "It was Ruby." He paused as he stared back at the two of them. "I was tracking her and the three she was with. Protecting them even. They arrived at Higanbana, which is, or was, a very calm place. At least by Mistral standards..." Qrow's voice grew darker as it trailed off into thought.

Taiyang turned back to Yang, "I ended up in Mistral; the city itself. I couldn't find any trace of Ruby so I started exploring the wilds, going north. I tried calling her a few times but she never picked up. So instead I-"

"Called me," intervened Qrow. Taiyang offered him a stand-offish glance before allowing him to continue. Qrow leaned forward in his chair as he rested his arms upon his knees, his eyes looked to the fireplace. "I got a call and agreed to meet up with Tai some distance from the town. Ruby was still at Higanbana so I thought it was as safe a place as any to leave her unsupervised for a while. That and her trail was sloppy, it would have been easy to pick up. Only... She never left Higanbana."

"That's when the Geist got her?" Yang's lilac eyes shifted between the two men.

Taiyang's expression soured, "By the time we got back, the town was already deserted. With all the Grimm in the air, and that woman in the tower, it was impossible for just the two of us to go in there and save your sister."

Yang narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Wait... What happened to Jaune? Ren...? … Nora?"

Her father lowered his gaze as he remained silent. Qrow kept his own locked onto the fire, "You saw her scythe right...? I don't know how it happened... But... Yeah..."

The revelation came as a shock to Yang who was frozen by the thought that Jaune, Ren, and Nora, could be dead. Slain by her own sister no less. She had no words to respond with; she was at a loss.

"So... We waited. Watched the town so that we wouldn't lose track of her. We came running when we saw the fire and well... You know the rest. Ruby can probably tell us more when she wakes up... If she wakes up." Qrow was blunt in his response as Tai offered him another warning glare.

"If...?" Yang looked between the two once more.

"Well... The thing about Geists-"

"Qrow, does she really need to know this?" Taiyang interrupted the man as he stared upon him.

Qrow paused before his crimson eyes glanced over towards Yang, "I dunno. Does she?"

Curiosity forever got the better of Yang, and besides, if something had happened to Ruby she wanted to know every detail. She gave Qrow a nod and Taiyang realised that he would be unable to intervene a second time.

"Right then... So you might know that Geists typically possess things. From boulders and trees to water and sand. Their own body is weak and fragile, so they need to find a stronger host. Sometimes... That host just so happens to be a person. But mind control? Mind control isn't a thing it can do. They suffocate the host to the point they knock it unconscious, and then just like with trees and boulders... It takes control of what's left. They're generally stronger if the host is alive too; corpses are more resistant."

"Wait, if Ruby was unconscious the whole time how is she going to tell us anything...?" Yang's voice clearly held a tone of depression as she still worked through the news of Jaune's team in her head.

Qrow leaned back into his chair, "Have you uh... Ever had a dream where you saw someone say... Walking past, and when you wake up someone was actually walking past? It'll be kinda like that. Her subconscious would have heard sounds, her body would have felt movement. It'll be hazy but... She'll have a general idea of what happened. But again, because of the fact it kept her in what was basically a coma for a few days... There's no telling when she'll wake up."

For several seconds silence had drawn over the room once again.

"But... Enough about that for now... Why don't you tell us how you uh... Got your arm back?" Qrow looked to Yang's right arm.

The blonde lifted her artificial arm as her now saddened lilac eyes looked to it, "... Winter paid for it. Back in Atlas."

Qrow seemed slightly surprised, "Winter?"

"Yeah... Weiss' sister," Yang turned her attention back to the two.

"I know who she is, just didn't expect her to actually... How did you even meet her? Through your friend?"

Yang shook her head, "I met her in Vale. She helped me find Blake and eventually we went to Atlas together to get Weiss. She's a good person."

Tai examined Yang's arm with his eyes, "Well... Does it work okay? It's not uncomfortable is it?"

Once again Yang shook her head slightly, "No, it's fine. Just took some time getting used to..."

Taiyang nodded as he listened to her words. Afterwards he gave no response as the silence returned.

Eventually Qrow spoke as he gazed upon the fire once again, "You should check on Weiss while Blake gets her arm looked at."

"Is that your way of saying you want me out the room so you can talk to dad?" Yang replied bluntly as her lilac eyes shifted between the two. Taiyang smiled apologetically at his daughter.

"Yeah, got stuff we need to talk about," Qrow glanced back at her with a nod.

Yang knew better than to argue, and besides, it was probably a good idea to check up on Weiss after what she went through. She stood up from the chair and winced slightly. The deep cuts upon her shoulder and her leg had already been seen to but they still brought her pain whenever she moved. "Then see you later I guess," she turned and left the small room before Qrow looked to Taiyang with concern.

* * *

Yang made her way towards the room they were keeping Weiss in. The building was rather small but it was the closest thing to a clinic the village had. When she approached the door she felt a cold draft coming from behind it. Her eyes narrowed as she reached for the metal handle of the door. She quickly retracted her hand when she felt just how cold it was. It was unnatural. She firmly grasped the handle and turned it. She heard a quiet cracking sound; as if the mechanisms inside the handle were rusted together and finally broken free. She gave the door a push and she heard a louder crack, and she felt that the door itself was more difficult to open than it should be. She pushed firmly as the door opened and the cold breeze came flowing through. The first thing she could see was frost; it was everywhere.

She crossed her arms as she shivered and glanced around in confusion. She saw Weiss standing in front of the window with her back turned to her. She was barely wearing anything and didn't seem to notice her entering. "Weiss...!" Yang called as she made to rush towards her. Her hand reached for the quilt as she passed the bed but she quickly realised it was covered in the same frost. She swiftly chose to ignore it and proceeded towards her friend. The closer she got; the colder the air seemed to become. Weiss continued to remain still and never turned to look at her, even when her name had been called.

Yang halted behind her and noticed that her friend's skin was glistening with a layer of frost over it, her hair too. She reached her artificial hand forward towards her shoulder and saw the cold that crept across her fingers as a result. Thankfully she couldn't feel it as finally she placed her hand upon Weiss' shoulder. The woman seemed to gasp from the touch and she stood up straight.

"Weiss...? What happened?" Yang felt that the air was quickly beginning to warm up and the walls were turning damp as the frost started to melt. She saw as Weiss suddenly gave out another sharp gasp as she wrapped her bandaged arms around herself, she shivered from the cold and the frost that now melted against her skin into a cold layer of liquid. Seeing this; Yang instinctively wrapped her arms around her friend and held her close to help ward off the cold. "Weiss seriously, what's going on!? You're worrying me!"

Weiss remained silent as she continued to shiver in her arms.

Yang glanced back to the quilt; like the rest of the room it had been soaked by the melting frost and would provide no warmth to anyone now. She let go of Weiss briefly as she removed her grey jacket and placed it over her shoulders in some attempt to keep her warm. The room they were in was also unsuitable and so she took matters into her own hands, or arms, as she lifted Weiss up and swiftly carried her out of the room.

After a minute or so she opened the door to her own room using her shoulder. Inside were two beds; one for her and presumably one for Blake, despite the fact they'd simply choose to share one. She sat Weiss down upon one of the beds before grabbing the quilt and wrapping it around her form. She seated herself besides her friend and held an arm around her shoulder as she looked to her. Her face was practically expressionless; if anything at all it was closest to tired. There was something that concerned Yang as she stared at her distant expression though. There was no sign that she had cried. None at all. The blonde frowned before she spoke again in an attempt to get her attention, "Weiss... Please don't shut yourself off... We're here for you, whatever you need."

Cold blue eyes peered at Yang lazily as her words were considered. After a few seconds the smaller woman began to move.

"Hey, you don't need to move, just tell me what you want and I'll go get it for you," Yang gently tried to hold her still, but Weiss seemed adamant in whatever she was trying to do. The woman shifted herself and quite sluggishly sat herself upon Yang's lap, facing her as she wrapped the quilt around them both and rested her head upon her shoulder.

At first Yang gave thought to gently pushing her off, she was half naked, soaked, and in her lap. But when she thought about it she realised she likely only wanted some sense of comfort. She had lost her partner and she was probably freezing. It made sense she'd want to hold someone for both warmth and out of crippling loneliness. So with a frown Yang wrapped her arms around her friend in a comforting manner. But still Weiss remained silent and never spoke a word.

With her head rested upon her shoulder Yang could hear her quiet breaths. She could feel her form pressed against her and she every time she breathed she could smell her scent. It was awkward, but if it was what she needed to at least feel a little better then she would agree to it. That's what friends are for after all, to help each other in their time of need. But the fact that Weiss hadn't cried yet kept itching at the back of her thoughts. She knew that bottling up your emotions was always a recipe for destruction. Eventually it would all force itself out at once, and usually at the wrong time.

She pondered how long Weiss might be in such a state, and how long it would take for her to speak again. Her lilac eyes glanced over her friend's shoulder as she looked to an object leaning against the wall besides the door. A charred umbrella. If she had been asked who was the least likely to die a few days ago; she'd have answered with Neo. Her ability to avoid hits, to shatter and vanish, to generally beat the crap out of anyone that was in front of her... She was the strongest among them, yet even she couldn't stop Cinder alone. Yang would have liked to have gotten to know her better, even after everything she did. Weiss turned her from a person she had to keep an eye on, to what could be considered an ally. A friend. It was just a shame that now, progressing their friendship was impossible. For she had been abruptly taken from them.

If Neo was still here, she would have thanked her for what she did for Blake. In the end, she had truly become a good person. Maybe that was something she was always striving for but her way of looking at the world obscured the path towards it. With her departure she had left them nothing but memories and a broken friend, but for her sake Yang would make sure that Weiss got everything she needed. Anything she could offer that would help her move past the loss.

A few minutes had gone by and Yang glanced at Weiss from the corner of her eye. She was asleep. Gently Yang attempted to remove her from her lap so that she could lay her down in the bed itself. Her grasp around her was tight but not tight enough for the task to be impossible. She successfully removed Weiss from herself and laid her down upon her back on the bed. She removed the quilt from her; only so that she could place it over her properly. After it was all done she sat silently besides her as she slept, lilac eyes looking down upon her in thought. Was she ever going to be the same again?

Her attention was stolen as she heard the door open. In walked Blake; her right arm was bandaged entirely and her golden gaze looked to Weiss. The Faunus frowned, she guessed already why Weiss might be in their room.


	69. Chapter 69

Chapter 69

"It wasn't normal, the whole place was like... Frozen or something..." Yang was once again sat in the same room as her uncle and her father. Some time had passed since Weiss fell asleep and the night was now upon the village.

With a heavy sigh Qrow rubbed the bridge of his nose with finger and thumb, "Kid, if I asked you to pretend you didn't see anything, would you?"

Yang narrowed her lilac eyes, "What? No, I wouldn't, so what's happening? Because you know something and I don't know why you're not telling me. She's my friend!"

Tai glanced to Qrow, "Really thought that would work?"

Qrow shrugged his shoulders, "It was worth a shot but... Yeah. I expected an answer like that."

"Stop avoiding the question," Yang clenched her fists in slight frustration as she looked between the two.

In silence the two men seemed to converse with nothing but their stares. Tai paused and closed his eyes as he lowered his head, "She'll be a target if we tell her."

"Tai, she's already a target. Just like Ruby, and just like Blake. All through association."

"Stop talking like I'm not here!" Yang stood up from her chair as she raised her voice.

Tai and Qrow turned to look upon Yang as they paused in silence. The red eyed man turned his sharp glance towards Tai, "You wanna explain it?"

"You know a lot more about it than I do..." Tai held his hands together as he peered back at Qrow.

Qrow gave a slow nod before he pulled from his pocket a silver hip-flask. He unscrewed the cap as he brought it up to his lips and took a large gulp. With a relieved sigh he screwed the cap back on and placed the flask back into his pocket and turned his stare up towards Yang. "Sit down kid," his head motioned towards the chair behind the blonde. Yang kept her stare firmly upon Qrow as she sat herself back down and listened to his words. "So... Got a favourite story?"

For a brief moment Yang seemed confused, "What?"

"Fairytales. Stories you grew up with. That kind of stuff, you remember any?" Qrow continued as he leaned back in his chair.

"I don't see what this has to do with anything-"

"My favourite is the one about the seasons," interrupted Qrow as his eyes glanced up to the ceiling. He peered back down to look upon the face of his niece, "Heard that one?"

Yang paused in thought as she grew more suspicious, "Well... Yeah. Who hasn't?"

"Heh, not many. But less know that it wasn't just a story."

Yang looked to her father; he glanced back to her with a knowing stare as if he had been told the exact same thing. The blonde looked back to her uncle, "What do you mean it's not just a story?"

"Exactly that. It's not just a story. It happened and the four maidens are out there, wielding power like nothing you've ever seen before- Or... Well, you did see it. Twice now. Cinder was a maiden before your friend turned her into... Uh, cinders." Qrow smirked lightly as he took out his hip-flask for a second time.

"She was just using-... She was using dust, right?" Yang inquired as she thought back to the battle at Higanbana. She had assumed Cinder was simply very capable with dust.

Qrow took a gulp from his flask before leaning forward in his chair, "She didn't need a speck of it to do what she did. It was... More or less magic. But see, she's dead now so you'd think our problems ended there right? Wrong. I'm with a group that protects these maidens in secret."

"If they have magic why do they need anyone to protect them? And why would you protect Cinder?" Yang continued with her questions; not much of what she was hearing made sense to her.

"Right... Probably going about explaining this the wrong way... Let's see..." Qrow sighed as he looked to the fireplace. "As you saw; maidens are powerful but they aren't invincible. One died at that fight. But Cinder wasn't always the fall maiden, the one before her was called Amber. To put it simply; if a maiden dies her power moves on to somebody else, and this usually being the last person in their thoughts. The last person in Amber's thoughts was her killer: Cinder, who wanted the power for... A reason I don't fully understand yet. Maidens need protectors because people want their power for themselves, and it's real easy to get it if you're smart. So my group looks out for them and keeps them hidden from the world, so we get less trouble from less people. Oh yeah, guys can't be maidens either, so if the last person in their thoughts is either a man or somebody dead, the power hits the lottery and goes to whoever the hell is lucky on that day."

"Wait, if it can go to the killer then that means Weiss is..." Yang paused in realization.

"If I was grading you on a test then that's an A plus right there. Yeah. Weiss killed Cinder in a fashion that forced her to think about her in her last thoughts; probably out of agony and rage. So your little Schnee friend became the fall maiden. Which kinda annoys me because frankly she'd suit the winter maiden better but that's just a title, they can all pretty much do the same thing anyway. This also means she has a giant target painted on her back, more so than she did when she was just an heiress. So you got a choice now..." Qrow stopped as he regarded Tai with a glance, as if seeking permission. Tai gave a hesitant nod in return and Qrow looked back to Yang. "You can either go home and pretend nothing happened, but your life will still be in danger and you just know that at the back of your head you're going to be constantly wondering wherever Weiss is still alive or not... Or... You can join us and protect her, along with the other maidens."

Yang's lilac eyes lowered as she processed the information. The way it was worded to her it seemed she'd be in danger wherever she chose to protect Weiss or not. So the choice was quite simple. If her life was going to be under constant threat it might as well be because she was defending a friend. "What about Blake? And Ruby?" Yang looked back up towards the two.

Tai idly tapped his fingers against his knee as his gaze drifted away, "As much as I don't want Ruby involved in any of this, she already is. They'll both get the same choice."

"Where are the other maidens...?" The blonde peered at Qrow.

"Does this mean you're with us? Because I'm gonna need a straight answer Yang," Qrow pierced her gaze with his own crimson eyes.

Yang gave a nod, "I'll do it... For Weiss."

There was a silence after her answer. Perhaps some part of Qrow and Taiyang were hoping that she'd say no, but they knew she had made the only choice she could. Qrow nodded, "Good... Yeah, that's good." He took another long gulp from his flask; emptying what was left. "The uh... Spring maiden is here, in Mistral. We're not sure where the Winter and Summer maidens are yet. Normally they're in their respective kingdoms as it were: Atlas and Vacuo. But since Spring is somewhere here we're focusing on her first. We're also gonna need to find a way to keep Weiss from freezing us all solid. She won't be used to the power she has, and she probably doesn't understand it herself and so she's letting it run wild and unchecked. Her state of mind... That's probably not helping."

"I'll do what I can with Weiss but..." Yang paused.

"Yeah, it's bad," Qrow agreed.

* * *

She moved onto her side as she lay in bed, yet still she felt uncomfortable. The visions haunted her thoughts; visions of what she'd seen and what she'd done. She could still feel the heat. She could still smell the searing flesh. She rolled over onto her other side as she gripped her head with her hand; fingers clawing into her silver-white hair. Her face was covered in sweat and her expression was pained. Her thoughts had been growing more clear since the event at Higanbana and she was beginning to understand just exactly what it was that she had done. She was a killer, or at least, she had the capability to kill. Perhaps it was something Neo had passed onto her. Perhaps it was always something she could do. It churned her stomach to think about it.

She had woken some time ago but she found she was unable to return to sleep. Her cold blue eyes opened as she sat up in her bed. When she did so she realised she had a headache and so she winced and rubbed her head. Across from her was a second bed, and in it was Blake who was sleeping soundly. Weiss' gaze narrowed upon the Faunus. Why was she able to sleep so quietly after what she saw? Did she care so little about Neo that it didn't phase her at all? Some sense of anger welled up inside of her as she pulled the covers from her form and stood up out of her bed. The moon was shining in through the window as she glanced over to it.

After a drawn sigh she lowered her eyes once more to Blake. The entire left arm and hand of the Faunus had been bandaged because of the burns she had sustained from the battle. But none had suffered more than Weiss that night. She turned to face the door behind her and her steps were slightly staggered as she made her way towards it and left the room.

The hall outside was dark and quiet, but she could see that one of the doors had light behind it. She approached and placed her ear against the wood and could hear Yang's voice, and Qrow's. They were talking about her it seemed, and something about maidens. The more she heard, the more confused she became. Not much of it made sense to her but according to them she had some sort of power. Perhaps they had been referring to the frost that had seemingly appeared from nowhere in her room?

She remained listening for several minutes until the conversation seemed to shift topic. She took a step back and glared upon the door. Was she to be some sort of burden for them to carry? All her life she had people obsessing about her; such had come with growing up in the Schnee family. It was the last thing she wanted after finally having left Atlas, especially from her team. She just wanted to be... Normal. She turned and continued on down the hall. There was something else she wanted to see before she'd return to her room. The door in front of her was just as simple as the rest in the building, but she knew what was behind this one. She reached her hand forward and grasped the handle as she entered the room.

Inside the interior similar to her own room. There was a bed, a night-stand, some drawers and a window. It was dark but she could see, and so she closed the door behind herself as her eyes focused on the person in the bed. She approached the figure and stared down upon her. Brunette hair, pale skin, and the new additions of thin red veins crossing her face. It was Ruby. She hadn't seen her team leader from Beacon for some time now. Months at least. Maybe almost a year. Her hair was noticeable longer and she was no doubt taller too. Probably taller than herself. Weiss reached her slender hand towards Ruby's face as her fingers traced along the red veins. She pondered wherever they were going to be a permanent addition to her features; something to remember the Geist by.

Her fingers continued to trace along the girl's fair skin. Ruby was always kind to her, if not a little annoying. But she supposed that was simply part of her charm. She was strange; at least in her eyes. Weiss hadn't known many other girls when she grew up, but those that she did know were polite and quiet. Ruby was loud, clumsy, and rather dense. It was probably why Weiss had taken a shine to her during their time at Beacon. She was different. Her recklessness was a charm.

Her fingers moved down as they coiled around the girl's neck.

Her recklessness was also the reason they ended up in this situation. Weiss narrowed her eyes down at the girl as her hand was firmly around her neck. She had come to this room for two reasons. The first was to check on her, to simply see what she looked like now and wherever or not she was okay. The second was to find out if she hated her. Sure she might be throwing the blame around, but someone had to take it. If not Blake then surely Ruby. If she hadn't gotten herself possessed by the Geist, if she had never even left Patch and went to Mistral on a fools errand... Maybe things would have been different. Ruby was the reason they were here now. Ruby was the reason there was a fight at Higanbana. She was the reason Neo had to die during it.

Weiss grit her teeth as her hand tightened around Ruby's neck. Something was lacking though. To kill her here without at least hearing her side of the story... Maybe she wasn't completely to blame. Perhaps someone else was... Maybe Jaune? Maybe the others? To kill Ruby here would be... Reckless. Her hand began to shake as she shut her eyes tight. She already killed Cinder; the person that dealt the killing blow to Neo. But it wasn't enough. Her vengeance felt empty, as if it wasn't enough. It must have meant that others had to die for Neo's sake. Emerald and Mercury were sure bets, Tyrian too. But she felt if she killed those three, then something would still be missing.

She released Ruby's neck and left red marks upon her pale skin from where she had gripped her. Weiss turned and held both her hands to her head as her expression grew frustrated. Who else had to pay? Who else had to die? She briskly made her way to the exit of the room as she pulled the door open and slammed it shut behind her.


	70. Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Qrow, Tai and Yang glanced towards the door as they heard a loud bang from outside the room. "Was that... Ruby's door?" Taiyang stood to his feet as he asked the others. Both Yang and Qrow stood up with him and all three briskly made their way to the door. Outside of the room they briefly caught a glimpse of Weiss as she entered another room further down the hall.

"The hell was she doing...?" Qrow narrowed his eyes as he moved to Ruby's door and opened it wide. Ruby seemed fine as she lay asleep in her bed. Yang entered the room itself to stand beside her sister and her lilac eyes scanned her form, but they caught something.

"What the...?" Yang leaned down as her fingers tilted Ruby's head to the side. Her neck had red marks; as if someone had grasped it tightly.

"Yang, what is it?" Tai looked over to her with some concern. He couldn't see that his daughter's eyes had already shifted into a shade of red. Yang turned and made her way back towards the door with teeth clenched and hands curled into fists; her expression beyond angry. "Yang-" began Tai as Qrow placed a hand upon his shoulder while the woman passed by the two of them.

"It's her team, so she'll deal with its problems," Qrow's crimson eyes tracked Yang as she swiftly made her way down the hall and towards the room Weiss had entered.

* * *

Not seconds ago Weiss had entered her room with hands shaking. She fell to her knees in front of her bed as she quickly reached for her scroll. Her expression was conflicted as her finger flicked through the contacts. Blake had awakened to the sound of her entering the room as she looked over with her bright golden eyes, "...Weiss?"

Weiss did not give a response as she frantically tapped away at her scroll. The door behind her opened as Yang stormed in. She slammed it shut behind her as Weiss closed her eyes tight; she knew what had happened. Blake watched at a loss before Yang grabbed Weiss by the back of her neck. Swiftly she pulled Weiss to her feet as she dropped her scroll onto the bed. Yang threw her towards the wall as her back slammed against it and a hand grasped her around the neck; pinning her against the wall.

"Yang!" Blake was alarmed by the sudden outburst as she stood up from her bed and rushed towards the two.

"The hell is your problem!?" Yang was furious as she brought back her right fist and sent a punch straight into Weiss' left eye. The back of her head hit the wall behind her as she let out a cry of pain; the first sound she had made since she killed Cinder.

Blake came up behind Yang as she tried to restrain her arms, "Yang stop it! What are you doing!?"

Yang had no intention of striking Weiss a second time as she was pulled away from her, "What were you doing Weiss!? Are you even thinking straight any more!? Did you lose the plot completely!?" The blonde managed to shake Blake away from her as she stood in front of Weiss who had burst into tears, she slid down the wall with her hands to her face.

"Yang what's happening!? What did she do!?" Blake had tried to make her way to Weiss' side, but Yang's outstretched arm stopped her.

"She tried to kill my sister!" Yang's glaring red eyes stared down upon Weiss, and as she spoke those words she had a sudden urge to hit her again. Blake was shocked to hear what had happened; her eyes turned wide as she looked down at Weiss in surprise.

"I- I didn't! I-!" Weiss cried in response as her words were stuttered, she could barely even form a coherent sentence.

"You what, huh!? You what, Weiss!? Do you think it's her fault or something!?"

"N- Yes- No! I- I just-!" Her hands gripped her head; her fingers coiling through her silver-white hair as she fell closer towards the floor in her sobbing state.

Yang made to take a step forward but Blake kept her back, "So that's it? You're looking for someone to blame for her death!? Why don't you look to the damn people who actually killed her, or better yet look at yourself! I tried to help her and Blake was already there, but you? You didn't even know she needed help until she was already dead!"

Weiss' tears only grew more intense as she was chastised by Yang; she was a mess upon the floor. She couldn't even speak any more at the thought that she might be the one who let it happen; that she was the one who failed to protect her. The blonde glared as she pushed past Blake and reached for Weiss' arm. The Faunus made to stop her, "Yang I think she's had enough-"

"She's not staying in here," Yang interrupted as she gripped the bandaged arm of Weiss. The woman gave out a cry of pain as she was pulled to her feet and dragged towards the door.

"Yang!" Blake called out before the two left the room.

Yang continued to pull Weiss down the hall and towards the room that had first been assigned to her. The door was opened and Weiss was thrown to the cold and still damp floor of the room. "Weiss, look at me," Yang ordered as her crimson gaze remained locked onto the girl. Yet Weiss refused to as she covered her tear-stained eyes. The blonde grit her teeth, "Don't you ever dare go near her again, you hear me? You stay away from my sister." As she expected though, she never received a reply from the girl. She turned and slammed the door shut behind her.

With a quickened pace she made her way back to her own room as her thoughts began to reflect on what had just happened, but her steps slowed as she reached the door. Her red eyes glanced down to the floor and narrowed as her clenched fist shook slightly. She heard the door creak open as Blake appeared from behind it; she held a concerned expression for her partner. Yang turned and violently struck the wall with her fist out of some form of frustration. Blake was quick to move to her aid; placing her left hand onto the blonde's shoulder in a comforting manner.

When Yang blinked she found that her eyes were watering. She wasn't crying but tears had formed as her eyes returned to their lilac shade. "I hit her. I hit her right in the face and I wasn't holding back Blake," Yang was no stranger to violence and she knew that Weiss had deserved it. But she never wanted a reason to hit a friend.

Blake frowned as she searched for the right words, "You... You did what you had to. She stepped out of line..."

"We're meant to be a _team,_ Blake. I shouldn't need to hit one of you, and Weiss... She's smaller than me, and she's defenceless in her state but I still just..." Yang breathed a shuddered sigh as she closed her eyes.

"Let's just go inside, okay?" Blake's hand stroked against her shoulder soothingly as she gestured back towards the room. Yang nodded slowly and complied as the two closed the door behind them. Inside the bedroom Yang looked to Weiss' scroll upon the bed. She could see upon the screen that she had tried to call Winter, but no connection could be made. Was she already regretting what she had done and sought council and comfort from her sister? The thought only made Yang feel worse about what she had done in retaliation, but Blake was right. She tried to kill Ruby and one could say that she got off quite easily in regards to punishment, but it didn't make her feel any less rotten about punching her in the face.

The two sat down upon the edge of their bed as Blake wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's shoulder; she sat close against her form as she tried to comfort her. Lilac eyes glanced up towards Blake's golden gaze, "It couldn't have happened at a worse time either, I just... Practically swore to protect her... Then... Then all this happens..."

"Protect her?" Blake offered Yang a puzzled expression.

The blonde nodded her head as she looked back towards the ground. "Qrow and my dad... They're... Part of this group, and now I am too... They want you to be a part of it as well, and eventually Ruby since we're all already involved in what's going on..."

"Yang, I'm confused. What group?"

Yang paused as her eyes idly glanced around the room, thinking upon how to best explain the situation the group had stumbled upon. She gave another drawn sigh as she began talking.

* * *

Weiss lay upon the floor where Yang had thrown her. Both the arm that she grabbed and the eye that she punched throbbed with pain, and she continued to cry. Not just about what happened with Yang, but about everything that happened since they went to Higanbana. She didn't know why she had refused to accept what had happened, maybe perhaps she gave herself the impression that she was being strong, or resilient. But it was cruel to ignore her emotions, to not openly grieve about the loss of her lover. She deserved that much at least.

Her mind had been unclear since it happened. Not only with forcing shut the emotions but also the strange occurrences had been happening around her. She didn't know what was happening and it frightened her, and then she had heard Yang, Qrow and Tai talking about some power that she now held and how they had to protect her. She wanted to know what was happening, she needed answers. But as if her thoughts had been read she heard the door opening.

"Look, I'm gonna ignore what you did and assume Yang already made you pay for it. So while you're on the floor all teary eyed and vulnerable... Now is the best time to tell you what's going on because otherwise I get the feeling you're just going to pretend everything is fine. Right?" Qrow's voice was more stern than usual as his footsteps entered the room. He leaned against a wall near Weiss as his crimson gaze stared down upon her in an almost judging fashion. Weiss refused to look back at him in her current state, but she would at least listen to his words.

* * *

 _ **AN:** Sorry that it's a small chapter, but it's the holidays and there is much booze to be consumed. I didn't want to leave you all completely hanging in the wind however, so I went ahead and took some time to write this next chapter out for you. As usual, thanks for reading._

 _Merry belated Christmas and I hope you all have a happy new year._


	71. Chapter 71

Chapter 71

It was an early morning. Yang sat upon the side of her bed with one foot upon it as she tied the laces of her boot. The fingers of her artificial hand struggled with the finer tasks and movements that they had to perform but it wasn't impossible for her. She glanced back as she heard Blake's voice, "She's coming with us then?" The dark-haired Faunus had just finished her own preparations as she looked over towards her partner.

Yang frowned lightly as she turned her head away while speaking, "Yeah. Qrow says she'll be safer with us instead of staying here."

Blake eyed Yang curiously as she walked around the bed and towards her side, "Have you even spoken to her since?"

The blonde shook her head as she replied; her voice seemed saddened but it was clear that she was trying to hide that fact, "What do I have to say to her? "Hey Weiss remember that time you strangled my sister?" I've got nothing to talk to her about."

"She's... Still your friend right? You're not usually one for the silent treatment and it's been three days now," Blake placed her hand upon Yang's shoulder as she looked down upon her with an expression full of concern.

Yang paused in thought as her lilac eyes glanced away, and with a sigh she voiced her words in a tired fashion, "I just don't care about her right now."

Blake frowned as she sat herself down besides her partner. She leaned over towards her and wrapped her arms around her form while being cautious of her own bandaged right arm. She pulled her into a comforting embrace as Yang leaned into the hug, but she continued to think upon the subject. Eventually Blake pulled back and looked into Yang's eyes, "Either way, you need to promise that if she is in danger you'll protect her. It's what we need to do now, and if she dies who knows where that... "Maiden" power will go next."

"Yeah, I'll protect her. I don't like her right now but that doesn't mean I want to see her die either. You don't need to worry about things like that," Yang offered a weak smile to Blake in hopes to instil some form of confidence in her.

The Faunus gave a nod and a smile in response before she stood back up from the bed. She moved across the room to where they stored their weapons. They were in a small narrow box upon the floor. She knelt down besides it and opened it to reveal four weapons in total: Gambol Shroud, Ember Celica, Myrtenaster and what was left of Neo's umbrella. She looked to the last weapon and briefly frowned. While the blade inside the umbrella could still be repaired and used they had given no thought to actually utilizing it, and instead they had kept it simply for Weiss' sake. Blake straightened her expression and looked over her shoulder and back to Yang, "Do you think Weiss will still use her sword or does she just... Do magic now?"

Yang shrugged her shoulders lightly, "Best to give it to her just in case..."

Blake gave a nod before turning back to the box and beginning to sort through the weapons. She put Ember Celica to the side for Yang and pulled out Gambol Shroud and Myrtenaster. She was about to close the box once more before her golden gaze settled upon the umbrella again. With an unsure expression she picked up the charred weapon and set it on the ground.

"What are you gonna do with it?" Yang's voice was heard from behind her as the Faunus stood up to her feet.

"I'm going to give it to Weiss, she seems to have settled down now so maybe..."

"Maybe she'll start blaming people again?" Yang finished Blake's sentence, although it was clear it was not what the Faunus had intended to say.

"Yang..." Blake sighed as she glanced around for something to wrap the weapon in.

"I'm just saying. Do you really want to remind her?" Yang replied before finally standing up to her feet and stretching her arm.

Blake ignored her words as she rolled the umbrella up into a white cloth. She tucked it under her arm after strapping Gambol Shroud to her back and picking up Myrtenaster. With her other hand she picked up Ember Celica and held them out to Yang who approached her. The blonde took the weapons into her own hands as she started to put them on. "I'll be back in a minute," Blake had said before turning towards the exit of the room and making her way to it.

"Good luck," commented Yang.

She closed the door behind her and found herself in the short hall. Her eyes briefly glanced over to where Ruby's room was. It had been a few days since she was rescued but still she slept and showed no sign of waking up. That was why Tai would stay behind; to watch over her and keep her safe while herself, Yang, Weiss and Qrow searched for the Spring Maiden. With a short sigh Blake turned and made her way towards Weiss' room. She pushed open the door and was greeted with a cold breeze; such had now become commonplace around Weiss.

The room itself looked normal; the only thing out of place being the cold air. Weiss was stood in front of the window. Her hair hadn't been tied up and was left to flow down her back and she was dressed in her usual SnowPea outfit. Blake was quick to notice that the sleeves were a dark shade of crimson and the cuts in the fabric itself showed the scars across her arms. It forced her attention to her own bandaged arm. Now and then it stung when too much pressure was applied to it, and she didn't actually need the bandages... But she wanted to keep her arm hidden, for like Weiss' injuries it had been scarred by the burns she received during the events of Higanbana. She blinked and set her gaze back upon Weiss as she approached her from behind, "Weiss, we can probably find you something else to wear if you want?"

Weiss turned in her once usual elegant fashion as she faced Blake. She looked no different than she usually did but with one exception; beneath the scar across her eye was now three additional horizontal scars that crossed her left cheek. She offered a half smile towards the Faunus as she glanced to her stained sleeves, "I tried to get it out but no matter how many times I scrubbed..." She paused and closed her eyes as she took in a breath. Her eyes opened again as she looked to Blake, "It'll be fine, and besides, I don't like wearing clothes that don't belong to me. It's hard enough to find my size in a store, never mind a village in the middle of nowhere."

Blake smiled at Weiss, she was happy to see that she had, to some extent, returned to how she used to be. "Oh, I brought these for you. I'm not sure if you still need your rapier but you might feel more comfortable with it in your hand. Here," she extended out the hand with Myrtenaster towards Weiss. The woman looked upon the blade and slowly took it into her own grasp. She held it up to her side as her eyes examined the weapon.

"It feels... Heavier?" Weiss commented as a faintly puzzled expression crossed her face.

Blake looked to the weapon curiously, "It does? I guess your arms aren't done healing yet?"

"Mm... Maybe," Weiss lowered Myrtenaster and looked to the cloth-wrapped object beneath Blake's arm. "What's that?"

Blake looked down to the covered umbrella, taking it into her hand. She paused in consideration before peering back towards Weiss. "It's... I know memories might still be fresh, but I thought you'd want it..." She held out the object towards her friend.

Weiss paused as her cold blue eyes glanced across the familiar shape. She reached an arm forward as if to pull back the material to reveal what she knew was beneath it. Yet she hesitated and instead took the object in her hand; she left it concealed beneath the cloth as her expression frowned briefly. She looked back to Blake and offered her a saddened smile, "Thanks Blake. I was worried you might've... Might've gotten rid of it by now." Blake nodded in response, truthfully she knew not the words to respond with and so offered a soft smile in return. Weiss turned and placed the concealed weapon down before glancing back upon the Faunus. "How is Yang...?"

Blake ran her hand through her dark hair awkwardly as her eyes peered up at the ceiling, "She's uh..."

"I see..." Weiss lowered her gaze to the ground, "It's understandable though, after what I did..."

Once again Blake wasn't sure how to response, "At least that bruise healed up nicely...?" Her golden gaze looked to the eye that Yang had punched, there was visibly only a slight alteration in colour now; it was barely noticeable in fact.

Weiss' slender fingers reached up to just below her eye in memory, "I know that I've asked you this multiple times already but... Can you tell her I'm sorry again?"

Blake gave a nod, "Of course, but you might be able to tell her yourself soon. We'll be travelling together after all."

"Maybe that's what we need, just a little bit of fresh air?" Weiss smiled re-assuredly and with a hopeful glint in her cold eyes.

The Faunus turned as she started making her way back towards the door, "It might just do the trick. I'll come by again before we leave."

Weiss nodded once more as she watched her move closer towards the door. Before she left completely however, she called out. "Blake?"

The woman in question halted as she turned to look back at the white haired girl. "Yeah?"

For some reason she was hesitant in her words, but her voice finally emerged. "We're doing this to save as many people as we can no matter what, right? That's our end goal?"

Blake was a little confused by the words but she nodded in response, "Yeah, that's exactly it. Why?"

Weiss gave a bright smile, probably the most genuine she had since days. "Good. I just needed to hear it. I know I've not been... Good... Recently, but I want you to know that I'm not going to stop until we do exactly that, and if I ever falter again I want you to remind me of that goal."

The fact Weiss had vowed to redeem herself in such a bright manner brought comfort to Blake, perhaps they really could return to how they used to be. They just needed Ruby to wake up now. "I'll make sure to do that, Weiss."

* * *

"All set?" Qrow looked upon the three in front of him. Blake, Yang and Weiss were geared and ready for travel; each with their weapons and their backpacks. They all nodded towards the man as he smirked, "Good because we've got a long road ahead of us. We have a solid idea on where the Spring Maiden is, so let's not waste any more time okay? I'll be some distance ahead of you guys serving as a scout, so just follow my trail and everything will be fine."

"We won't let you down," Weiss answered as she smiled. Yang glanced over towards Weiss, she hadn't seen her upbeat nature since Neo had died so it came as some surprise to her.

"Right, let's move out then," responded Qrow as he turned to start their next journey. His crimson gaze glanced up to the blue sky as he muttered to himself, "It might not be perfect, but it's a team to replace the one we lost, Oz."

"Qrow?" Yang raised a brow as she heard the man muttering.

"Ah, it's nothing kid. Just talking to myself," he pulled from his pocket his silver canteen; he unscrewed the cap and took a large gulp from it before pocketing it once more.

The four set upon a dirt path that led out from the village and over the green hills ahead. The sun was bright and ahead of them as they travelled east and further into Anima. They had a new mission; to find and protect all four maidens. With one already with them they had a good head-start, but only time would tell wherever they would be successful in their endeavour.

* * *

 _ **AN:** I'm sorry to say this is the last chapter. Or maybe I'm happy to say that, I'm not sure. Depends on how you look at it. You might think it's sudden, well it is. But if I keep the "next journey" going on any longer we're going to hit 300k words on one fic that'll have lost its purpose more than it already has, and that's not something I want to do._

 _There will be an epilogue soon, and a second part to the whole thing but that will come some time in the future. But the point of the original fic was to re-unite the team, and they've somewhat accomplished that. So any further adventure will be under a new title with a new purpose and a bit of a time-skip._

 _So with all that, a huge thank you to everyone that stuck it out this far. Seriously, I'd be bored reading any fic after 100k words so that fact there are some still going... Well, it's flattering to say the least._

 _I'll see you all later._


	72. Chapter 72

Epilogue

The cloudy sky sheltered the green lands of Anima from the rays of the setting sun. Upon the dry dirt path travelled a sizeable group of hunters and huntresses; they travelled in formation along the road, two by two. Yet, in the centre of the formation, the column widened as a woman was carried upon a stretcher. The group was at the least fifteen people strong and everyone of them came to a halt at the behest of their leader.

With a weary sigh the man reached into his pocket and pulled from it a silver hip flask. He unscrewed the cap and took a thirsty gulp from it; though he knew the contents would do little to sate his parched throat. "Why are we stopping?" came a woman's voice. Crimson eyes blinked in thought as the man paused. He turned on his heel to regard his blonde-haired niece.

"Because this is the spot kiddo," Qrow answered as his gaze drifted to a set of flat stones barely hidden in the grass off to the side of the path. Yang's eyes were also drawn towards them and it was then that she realised that the stones were the markings of an old road; one that had been long since forgotten.

Yang narrowed her lilac eyes curiously as she looked back towards her uncle, "It'll be safe there?"

"Yeah, it will..." Qrow tilted his head up slightly as if to look over the crowd, yet it was hopeless as he knew that he couldn't see the woman upon the stretcher. He peered back towards Yang, "And it's not like we have a choice. She can't go on like this... That bitch really did a number on her..."

Yang frowned at the reminder as she turned to look upon the crowd of hunters. They were each people that Qrow had recruited to protect the maidens. Slowly over the weeks they had been gathering a small force of sorts; in order to rebuild what was lost he had said. The fact so many people knew of the secret of the maidens was unsettling however, as now there was more chance that the forgotten tale would be laid bare before the world for all to see. But there was safety in numbers, and for the enemy that hunted them that fact came as some shred of comfort.

"So we're splitting up right?" Blake had appeared from the crowd as she made her way towards the two. She lifted her bandaged right arm as she placed her hand upon Yang's shoulder. The blonde smirked softly at the Faunus before looking back towards Qrow.

"Yeah. It'll be easier that way and with any luck we can keep her out of sight and out of mind while the enemy chases nothing," Qrow gave a nod in confirmation towards Blake.

A thought struck Yang, "But what if it doesn't work?"

The crimson gaze of the tall man gazed over her and they narrowed ever so slightly as he spoke in a quiet voice, "Then make sure the last thing she thinks about is you. We can't lose her power, and if it means you need to become a maiden then to hell with it. You do it with a damn smile kid."

The blonde gave a firm nod in response to her uncle's words. Blake glanced back towards the group of huntsmen, "So who is on which team?"

"You're with me Blake. We'll take a few of the others too but we'll be leaving most of them with Yang," answered Qrow as he turned to look upon the path ahead.

Yang was ever so slightly shocked by the idea that she'd be the one left behind. "Wait, you're leaving me to defend?"

"Yeah. No offence to Blake here but I think you'd stand a better chance if it all went to hell. Not just for your fighting capabilities but your charisma too. Not as boring to sit in an abandoned ruin when your leader is easy to talk to. This isn't about picking favourites any more, you got a skill set that'd be better used elsewhere is all."

Yang still wasn't keen upon the idea but she sucked it up and sighed. She knew better than to argue with Qrow at times like these. Her lilac eyes were drawn to her partner as they were met with a golden pair of eyes looking back at her. She offered Blake a smile as the Faunus girl returned one. There was however no time for a heartfelt goodbye. "It won't be too long right? Don't wanna starve out here."

"You two are as clingy as Tai and Sum-... Heh..." Qrow paused in silence as his eyes scanned the distance ahead. "You'll see each other again, so let's get it over with."

Both Blake and Yang gave a nod towards Qrow before the group of hunters split up. Less than half continued down the dirt path, while more than half followed Yang off into a more obscure direction.

* * *

Inside the dilapidated ruins of an older civilization, the group of hunters and Yang found themselves in an open chamber. The clouds outside had parted only slightly and allowed some of the orange sunlight into the large room as the sun was setting low in the sky. Old and tattered flags blew in the intruding breeze; they were flapping against the walls that they were hung upon. They were banners of a long since dead people. Yang could see that the way ahead was one that required caution. The old ruins didn't seem although they held any malicious intent in regards to traps and the likes, but the path ahead was a narrow bridge that led to a wide open platform in the centre. It appeared as if it had once been an area of worship perhaps, as a ray of sun illuminated the area around it. With the particles of dust in the air there was an old and sacred feel to the place.

"Watch your step," commanded Yang as she was the first to start crossing the old stone bridge. The craftsmanship was fine with intricate and ancient markings in the bricks themselves. Upon either side of the bridge was a drop but nothing out of a fairy tale where it would be an endless abyss. She could see the floor and it held no pit of snakes or deadly impaling spikes; all that was below was flat stone brick. At worst you'd break a leg if you fell.

Cautiously did the group move however, and eventually they crossed it with no issue. The group of huntsman carrying the stretcher with the wounded woman upon it advanced further to the central position of the platform. They ascended five or six steps before placing the woman down upon the ground gently. The rest of the group took up idle guard upon both ends of the bridge and the open door they had entered through.

It seemed like everything was going fine, all they had to do was wait until Qrow and the others returned and they could continue on their mission. Yang noticeably avoided looking upon the wounded woman as her lilac gaze shifted to one of the hunters that approached her. The man was wearing a brown hood and seemed as old as Qrow, and with his stern voice he said to the blonde, "We don't have much supply left. If Qrow is more than two days gone we may have to search for food. If we start now there's a chance we could stockpile and make it easier for ourselves in the long run."

Yang nodded in thought. Leaving the ruin as soon as they had entered it would likely open them up to be discovered. She glanced around the dusty chamber they were stood in and she took note of another bridge leading further into the ruins themselves. "If there's another entrance to this place we could use that to head out. I get the feeling going out the way we came in is just asking for trouble..."

The man smirked, "In that case I'll grab another and scout out the rest of this tomb."

Another huntsman's voice sounded out from over the bridge, "Actually it's more of a temple."

"No, it's an altar," chimed in another voice.

"Same thing!"

Yang chuckled lightly at the banter between the other hunters before looking back towards the man before her. "Alright, but don't take any risks. We don't know what's in here."

"Hopefully just dust and webs." With that the huntsman turned and waved another over as they both vanished deeper into the ruins.

The rest of the group continued to wait and idle around.

Some took more relaxed poses and found places to sit or lay down.

And why shouldn't they be relaxed? It had been three hours now and nothing had happened. The other group was yet to return but that was to be expected. A search wouldn't be conducted until at least a little while longer. Yang leaned against a short pillar that served as some sort of post for the end of the bridge. Perhaps there was once a torch upon it that would light up the surrounding area as to avoid falling from the bridge itself.

Her lilac eyes stared down upon the ground. The sun was still shining and it came through small openings above; they were far too high to reach and seemed to serve no other purpose than allowing light into the ruins. She held out her artificial right hand to cast a shadow upon the stone floor. There was no reason to it, she was just starting to get bored.

With a heavy sigh she lowered her arm as her tired gaze remained glued to the light on the floor. Her expression grew slightly puzzled as she thought she saw something move against the light. She focused her eyes a little more and saw it again. A bird perhaps? A larger shadow passed the light and her eyes widened. She pushed herself up to her feet and turned to look upon the high window. Outside she saw only the glare of the sun and nothing more. Some of the huntsman looked to her in confusion while others took it as a sign of caution.

Something else was off about the room however. The banners that flapped against the walls were now barely moving as if all the wind that had been travelling through the chamber had suddenly ceased. Yang clenched her fists and stood in front of the bridge as she stared across it and towards the dark entrance that they had come from. This was enough to alert the other hunters as they took to their positions. Two stood right in front of the archway into the chamber while four stood upon the bridge and one was besides Yang herself upon the other end. A sudden quiet had formed over the room and an eerie presence was drawing closer, it was suffocating any atmosphere that the ancient ruins once held.

The first sound of a footstep shook the very hearts of those who heard it. Most of the huntsmen were trained and stern, but the mere break of the silence had unnerved them as it would any man. But they all knew they had to stand their ground and defend the wounded maiden to their dying breaths. If the power she held was to be given to someone... Undeserving... There was no telling what they would unleash upon the world of Remnant.

But the undeserving wasn't what worried Yang...

It was the greedy.

From the shadows a pale woman appeared, with silver-white hair and clothes to match. Weiss stood in the light of the door. She had come to a halt before the two huntsman who now aimed their weapons upon her, but her cold gaze seemed unconcerned as they scanned the room. Her sight landed upon Yang and she frowned. The blonde only seemed to grit her teeth and clench her fists. "Weiss, turn back. There's nothing for you here!" Yang called out to her.

Weiss breathed in a deep breath and sighed heavily, it even echoed through the room. "Stand down, all of you. No one else needs to be harmed. I've told you time and time again; this is for the betterment of us all. The betterment of Remnant."

"Don't give us that crap Weiss! Turn around and just leave!"

But Weiss had no intention of leaving as her frown deepened. "No matter what..." she muttered to herself as her cold gaze shifted between the two besides her.

"Weiss...! I don't want to see you hurt, so please just go!" Yang continued to try and have her once-friend leave without the need for bloodshed... But it was useless.

"And I don't want to hurt you, Yang. I don't want to hurt any of you. So drop your weapons. It only costs three lives to keep Remnant safe, please don't make it any harder than it already is..." Weiss' words seemed honest and pleading, but just as she wouldn't listen to them... They wouldn't listen to her.

The awkward silence drew for too long as the hunters stared down Weiss. Negotiations had failed and now everyone was waiting to see who would take the first swing. "Damn it...!"One of the huntsman raised his sword-like weapon to strike down upon Weiss, and as did the second besides her.

A large thud and a slice was heard as something white and burning fell from above. Its claws sheered straight down into the necks of the two huntsman and with a deep guttural growl the beast lifted the two into the air as its white wings spread wide. The Sire gave out a ferocious roar before throwing the corpses from the bridge.

"No!" yelled Yang at the sight of her friends being tossed from the height. The other huntsman were spurred into action and held the choke point upon the bridge. The Sire, proud and tall, stared down upon them with superiority. The temperature within the room started to plummet as behind the beast a sphere of white rushing wind had formed. With a beat of its wings the Sire launched into the air as from behind it a torrential blizzard was unleashed upon the bridge. Yang watched as the huntsman were consumed in the white storm; they were vanishing from her sight as she braced herself to meet the same force head-on. She was enshrouded by the white blizzard and she could feel the cold chilling her to the bone. She knelt down and steeled herself against the winds as she struggled to even maintain her own balance. Besides her the huntsman was in a similar position as the two stared on ahead.

Within the blizzard they could see a figure approaching, in fact it was stumbling. Another huntsman. He fell to all fours and seemed to grow still, in fact he had stopped moving entirely as if frozen on the spot. Frozen...?

Yang widened her eyes as she saw ice forming upon the stone ahead of her. She looked to the other huntsman and yelled for him to get behind something. Before she could even look to doing just that herself ice had already encased a good portion of her artificial arm. With all the strength she could muster she pushed herself behind the short pillar she leaned upon earlier for cover. The white blizzard continued to rage on and she saw the ice crawl further upon the ground and pass by her. She grit her teeth and looked to her right arm. The ice had frozen it solid and she could no longer move it.

The blizzard slowed to a halt as the winds died down. Not long after could she hear Weiss' footsteps once more; she was crossing the bridge unchallenged. Yang's lilac gaze peered across where she saw the other huntsman. He was thankfully unharmed and readied his weapon to meet the ice queen. Yang shook her head at him but he wasn't paying attention.

Weiss came into view and he lunged out from behind the pillar with a vengeful roar. A dash of white blurred towards him as a claw grasped his head and slammed him down into the stone floor. His weapon flew from his grasp and bounced across the ground as the Sire lifted him up into its fist. Weiss briefly glanced at the huntsman's limp body in the clutches of the creature before she stopped to regard Yang.

The blonde glared back upon her, "Weiss... Why!?"

The woman in question frowned back upon her. "Yang... You don't understand, you can't feel the power inside me... It's enough to save people. Save everyone... So I need the rest of it. I need to become... Whole."

"There are better ways Weiss, other ways to save people, you don't need to go around murdering them!"

"It's not murder!" Weiss snapped as she took a second to compose herself. "It's a sacrifice we all have to make for a better future. If you felt this power you'd understand," Weiss turned to face Yang fully as the white Sire behind her dropped the huntsman's corpse to the ground. The single burning blue eye of the beast glared down over Weiss' shoulder and at the blonde.

Yang looked from the creature and then to Weiss, "It's not-... You're still killing people Weiss, that won't change no matter how you look at it..."

"That's the burden I'm willing to shoulder, for everyone. I'll do everything, no matter what it takes, to save Remnant. Nobody will need to live in fear any longer. I could wipe out the entire race of Grimm myself, I'm sure of it," Weiss answered before turning towards the maiden she had wounded several days ago. She began a slow approach towards her as the Sire followed.

"Weiss you don't even know that! You don't even know what will happen, you're just basing everything on what you feel but how accurate is that!? It's reckless! It's insane!" Yang continued, but Weiss would listen no longer. So set was she in her goals and dreams of redemption. It was everything she wanted. A safe world, one that she could protect and be held responsible for. With that people would finally come to see the Schnee name in a new light, a holy light.

Weiss stopped before the wounded maiden of spring. She held her hand out as ice swirled and formed into her palm. The ice formed a replica of Myrtenaster and she took it into her grasp so that she might deliver the killing blow and gain the power of a second maiden. She could hear Yang calling her name, but she would have to learn to forgive her. What were three lives when compared to the millions that could be saved?

* * *

 _ **AN:** I'll be seeing some of you in a few good months hopefully._


End file.
